Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-05
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Senator Walsh of Massachusetts
saws that all the corset factories OF
New England and also the gingham
factories are losing money or else have
shut down. The women have ceased
to wear bingham and have substituted
starvation reducing diets, In place OF
corsets and lacing. They demand
siiken hose! So what are the factories
which make those and many otner
mysterious undertakings OF cotton go
ing to do about 1T? He has received a
telegram from the Flour Association
OF Massachusetts, stating that II tne
Camper .HauGen bill should pass, 1t VIII
add So a barrel to the cost OF flour.
INQUIRY al the headquarters Of the
American Federation Of Labor dis
closed that that body of organized
wage earners and ultimate consum-
ers" of farm products Is willing 10
stand that much increase In living ex-
peTlses. If It will enable the farmers
to make living, for in this case the
wage earners are standing squarely
back of the farmers. Furthermore,
the American Federation Of Labor
has received the identical telegram
from the Texas Bakers Association
propaganda protesting that the NC
Nary -Haugen bill will add 81 bar
rel to all flour. The spokesman Tor
the federation comments:
"In the first place, that is not
accurate, and, in the second place,
what if 1t should add 81 barrel to
what bakers pay. the price of bread
does not come down with the price or
wheat, so why should it rise when the
bakers trust pays more? Poor rule
that does not work both ways"
The estimated rise Is equivalent to
about So a year per family. A bar
rel of flour makes 800 pound loaves
of bread.
Next Monday the Senate will con-
slider the McNary-H augen bill ITO
establish a Federal Farm Board to aid
in the orderly marketing and in the
control and disposition Of the surplus
of agricultural commodities"
BY an adroit move there is truce
between the lion and the lamb. and
the great banking interests of hated
combining with the horny-fisted farm
ers, so that this McNary-Haugen bill
becomes unfinished business on
next Monday upon the Senate calen-
dar. while the bankers measure to
regulate the establishment OF branch
national banks and the renewal of
the charter OF the Federal Reserve
banks win be considered next.
There Is no cloture fixed upon the
farm bill, so the cry that there is not
sufficient time permitted for legiti-
mate debate cannot be sustained, but
there Is a call for cloture, already
signed by more than so Senators,
which will enable the supporters Of
the measure to head of any filibuster
and establish cloture at any time.
The gun Is loaded, but the trigger is
ION safe" And Gen. Dawes has a
plan" for Senate regulation.
II, as threatened by Senator Walsh,
an effort be made to include corsets
and other cotton undertakings in the
scope Of the grain handling by the
governmental bingham be waved at
the farmers, like a striped red flag by
Spanish banderilla or picador before
an obstreperous bull-the farmers will
meet the onrush with that cloture,
and the trained bulls Of Wall Street
tails. in a great tackle.
Furthermore, why should Amer
leans protect farmers? demands SEN
ator Walsh. In Paris, he says, he
found last Summer that there is
absolutely no system of refrigera-
ton so that food cannot be stored
and kept. Hence, the citizens and
the farmers have learned to estimate
exactly how much food Is required
In day and only one days supply
is brought in daily. as 1t were mamma
in desert. IL our Government would
take hold of the daily regulation of
supplies according to demand. the
problem would be simpler. Anyhow,
farming is like any other business
1T must take its normal hazards
and those farmers who do not sue
coed will be eliminated and get into |
other lines OF work. so the whole !
matter will adjust itself.
Besides, there is going to be q |
investigation into this |
entire question OF prosperity Of cab |
bages and kings. corsets and corn, |
ginghams and grain. hose and hay |
and whatever we eat. wear and sell. |
The Department of Agriculture in |
vestigates only farming. but Con- |
gress will go farther. for man can |
not live on flour alone without cot |
ton things made in New England |
Shiver our timbers IL he can! What |
this country needs is more congress |
sional Investigations and we must |
discover who changed the fashions |
and what becomes of all the pins and |
1t Is up to the Department |
Of Commerce, but Secretary Hoover /
Is filled with ether In trying to pre-
vent vested A. rights in permanent