Evening star., 1928-11-01

| means of relief for the acute and imme-
| diate distress Of agriculture is in effect
to dodge the question and is. to my way
| of thinking, an attempt to fool the
| farmer: It is something which will take
| years to do and. because of the Re-
publican neglect in the last eight years,
there has not even been plan pro-
| vided for it.
Claims Figures Padded.
Figures have been used to fool the
farmer when he is told that he is being
protected by the tariff wall from three
billion dollars worth of imported farm
products when, as a matter of fact,
| the real figure is S500,000, 900. To get
to the bigger figure they added silk and
other things not usua.4y comprehended
within the term agriculture" and not
produced in this country, and which
the farmer himself in many cases must
buy and pay for.
That's trying to fool the farmer. An
other measure of relief offered is the
creation of stabilization corporations.
Everybody who knows naything about
the farm problem knows that that is
not a cure. If it is, why did not Mr..
Hoover suggest it to PreSid-ut Coolidge
in the last four years as an alternative
for the farm relief bills that he vetoed?
IlG pdIty 10 III ylIlS 10 1OOl
the wife of the farmer by putting forth
rosy statements about improved condi-
tions on the farm, the introduction of
labor-saving devices and the modern
iZation of the countryside. Alongside
of that statement must be read the
facts: A million people year are be-
ing driven from the farm; bank failures
in the agricultural districts are grow
ing at an alarming rate. The Republic
can platform itself speaks of the dire
distress of the farmer. What is to be
gained by trying to lead man in dire
financial distress into the belief that
his wife is securing greater comforts
at home?
Republican orators throughout the
country are buSily engaged in an effort
to try to make the farmer believe that
Mr.. Hoover is his great friend; that
he is great statistician; that he is a
great engineer; and that he will find
some way of relieving them. The Re
publican party has been eight years
promising relief and has failed to give
it. Don't take that from me alone.
Take it from one of the great expo
| nents of the farmers cause, one OF the
Republicans in the United States Sem
ate, who, in season and out OF season
has labored ceaselessly and fearleSsly
| in their behalf. will quote from Sen
ator Norris of Nebraska:
THE Republican national platform
| four years ago, promised relief, and four
years before that they were going to
put The farmer on a profitable basis
| We have fed the farmer on promises
but We have never given him taste OF
| fulfillment. And now, for the third
time, the Republican platform presents
to the farmer some more promises"
Special Session Urged.
AS an indication of the desperation
Of the Republican party on the farm
| question, Gov. McMullen of Nebraska
hurried to Washington and urged the
Republican candidate that he should
make promise to call the Congress in
to special session in order to handle the
farm question. The story of these con-
ferences is an interesting Sidelight on
the Republican candidate. They must
have begged him to say something, any
thing to make some appeal to the far
mer. They must have pleaded for just
few kind words Then word came from
| the headquarters of Mr.. Hoover that
the extra session was discussed, but nc
decision was arrived at. Immediately
thereafter Senator Borah went into
conference with the Republican candi-
date and, following the conference, Mr.
Hoover yielded. He spoke kind word
| He actually got himself to the point
| of saying extra session."
Aside from the fact that this seems
to be a surrender for the purpose OF
securing votes, what would be accom-
plished at an extra session of Congress
| in view of Mr.. Hoover,S well known op-
position to the underlying principle be-
hind the remedy for farm depression?
He has refused to accept the principle
of the control of the exportable surplus,
| without which control there can lie
no adequate relief. He and his advisers
on farm relief are in effect saying to
the farmers of this country: 1--WE have
given you nothing in eight years but
broken promises. Forget the past; give
| us renewal Of power on the sixth OF
November; we will give you prompt ac-
| ton but no relief"
AS Senator Norris said, speaking TO
the farmers of the country: