Evening star., 1925-05-20

| Norman III. Davis, former AS
sistant Secretary of State.
unknown to other countries. but ex-
pected here as the elimination of
every period of exceptional business
prosperity. He traced the financial
history of the country for 35 years
with the constantly recurring panics
in 1890. 1903 and 1907.
J. Gilmer Korner. chairman Of the
Federal Board of Tax Appeals, said
that the great Industrial region Of
the country. the New England and
Middle Atlantic States, had become the
most prolific field Of tax controversy.
"Definiteness of issue. clarity Of
presentation and accurate facts are
the elements necessary in proper de-
cision of cases." he said. Taxpayers
are too apt to depend on argument
based on conclusions and deductions
in their appeals. Unless the facts ap-
pear the argument is Of no value. The
necessary result is the dismissal of
the appeal for lack of proof.
The board is treading new ground
and has important problems to solve
before 1t can justify its existence.
Some Of it's decisions may be criti-
cized. There is a loser In every con-
troversy and the loser seldom sees
the justice OF MS loss.
Agricultural Co-Operatives.
The natural resources production
group at it's luncheon meeting in the
Chamber of Commerce Building was
addressed by Judge Robert w. Bing-
ham, publisher of the Louisville. KY,
Courier Journal. on Agricultural Sell
ing Co-operatives."
Hundreds of thousands Of farmers" +"
ha aa{d
marketing associations are learning to
be good stockholders in large corpora
tions. They are learning to exercise
a sound discrimination in the selec-
ton of directors. The farmer is be-
ing armed against the wiles of the
cheap demagogue politician and all
of this Is going into the fabric of
the country to strengthen 1t and to
improve 1t. There was a time in this
country when no banker or business
man was permitted to be d member
of farmers organization. Today
the little tenant farmer back in Ken
lucky, who may be illiterate and who
has heard his local politician foam
at the mouth denouncing Wall Street,
knows that two Wall Street banks
within the last year have lent him and
his associates S5.000,00O. 1t would be
difficult to measure what this
means to his own welfare and to the
welfare of the country at large.
I'm cooperative marketing a method
has been found by which these coun-
trymen of ours may secure decent
livelihood and decent homes. There
can be no greater privilege than to
support these struggling and pros
trate millions.
Nearly half the American people
are engaged in agriculture. They
form a large part of the buying public.
The merchant and manufacturer can
not hope for good markets if the
farmers have nothing. l have no
patience with the bigot or the dema-
gogue who tries to draw a line be-
tween the people on the farms and
the people in the cities. We should
not forget that nations have usually
been as strong as their agrarian pop
ulation and that a breakdown on the
farm always has meant breakdown
of the Nation"
American Farmer Leads.
Prof. w. 1. Myers of Cornell Uni
versity told the group that the Amer
lean farmer was the most efficient
food producer that the world ever has
known"
I'm the field of agriculture, he
said, "the individual has held, his
own against the corporation as an
economic unit. The decrease in the
proportion of workers engaged in
agriculture from 81 per cent in 1920
to 26 per cent In 1920 is a concrete
expression of his efficiency. In spite
of this decrease American farmers
produce food and clothing enough for
the Nation and a large surplus for
export.
'The use of the corporation has
made Individual enterprise a practi-
cal impoSsibility except in businesses
where small scale production Is as
efficient as large scale production.
Farming Is an example of the busi-
| ness where the most efficient unit is
a small one. In most types an efficient
business unit calls for an investment
of only $4,000 to $4,000. A labor
force of two or more men will do the
| work. Usually one-half or more of
the labor is done by the farmer and
his family. On the average it takes
about TX years for the gross
sales from an American farm to equal
the investment"
Prof. Myers predicted further CO.
operative movements among farmers.
but no advance in corporation farm
ing or efforts to put agriculture on
the same plane with business where
the small individual is forced out by
the great companies with plenty of
capital.
"OId King Coal" iii.
"Old King CoaP' was described as
a very sick monarch by A. C. Dodson
of Bethlehem, Pa.
I'VE know" he said, that he will
survive. strong and dependable, long
after his rival, fuel oil, is forgotten
and gone. But in the meantime his
suffering is extreme. The industry
is so vital to the welfare of this coun-
try that if it says much more arti-
| fetal stimulants will be applied by
legislative action and nobody will es-
cape. One and all we will be thrown
! to the lions.
1.-The union operator sees himself in
| the grip of an arrogant union power
full enough to bring to its aid the
interference of the Federal Govern
ment a dozen times in the past eight
1Ae, T. I,,yci yotv no