Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03
FARM Discomfort
WORRY TO G. 0. P.
Fears Demand for Subsidy to
Agriculture Will Affect
Congress Elections.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although it is a little early to trans
late the iowa discomfort over the
agricultural situation into political
significance, there is no doubt the adj
ministration is a good deal worried
over what the effect of the upheaVal
may be on the congressional elections
next Autumn.
Politicians know that the issue
raised in the West, namely, Govern
ment subsidy to the farmer in hand
ling the export problem, has all the
earmarks of an effective campaign
weapon And the time is opportune
because between now and next sum
mer the aSpirantS for congressional
nominations are looking around for
an opportunity to oppose the men who
hold seats in Congress.
Productive of Insurgency.
This invariably has the effect of
turning otherwise regular Republicans
into insurgents. The pressure from
within is too strong to withstand. A
regular turned inSurgent is Il loss to
the administration strength in Con
gress, and the majorities in both
houses are none too large.
In other words. on the way the
agricultural problems of Iowa are
handled by the administration may
tration policy in the next few months.
The tariff, which might be slunbcr-
ing now in the bosom of the old
guard with no likelihood of being
tinkered with, may at any moment
be the victim of an attack by aeri.
cultural members of Congress. 1t il
not so much that the tariff is sought
as protection for farm products. It's
benefits are conceded to a certain eX-
tent, but the farmer is being invoked
to protest against tariff that makes
the prices of his purchases too high.
Another Principle Disclosed
Back of the attack on the tariff
however, is quite another principle.
namely, that the industries of the
United States are given virtual sub
Sidy by the Fordney tariff law, and
that the McNary-Haugen bill really
Is tariff protection with the prinCi-
pie reversed so as to protect the farm
er against low costs of production in
the foreign market and too great fiuc-
tuationS in the export price. If the
Government can protect industry by
a tariff wall against imports, it can
set up an economic barrier against
the invasion of domestic farm prices
by the export surplus price. That's
the eaSoninE of the agricultural econ
omiSts.
Serves as ammunition"
1t may be faulty. but il has enough
political ammunition IN II To ALLEVIATE
whole section of Republican
strength. Most reyolts in the Repub-
lican party have started in Iowa and
the corn belt. The insurgency of Dol.
liver, which led to the revolt of 1912
started there. The Brookhart move
ment. which had its counterpart In
neighboring States, was an Iowa re
volt.
The situation today is somewhat diff
ferent in that the regular Republicans
are better organized to withstand the
attack and the administration in
Washington Is attuned to political up
risings much more than its predeces
SorS.
Jardine Keeps Ear to Ground.
Secretary .Tardine has his ear to the
ground and President Coolidge is list
ening in very carefully. The admins
tration will. therefore, have some farm
relief measure to propose as an al
tentative and Will not meet the in.
surgency lying down. 1t Is too early
70 say who will win out, especially as
the crisis will not come for several
weeks, when Congress will have had
L chance to study and debate the
many proposals for farm aid by the
Government.
(CopyriCht 1921