The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1928-09-12


mere were only four farm members of
the fair price commission alive at the time
President Garfield wrote this letter. They
agreed to the letter and attached their
names to statement to this effect. These
men were
Charles J. Barrett, president of the
Farmers union; ]. w. Shorthill, secretary
of the National Council of Farmers Coop
erative Associations; L. j. Tabor, master of
the Ohio State grange; Eugene E. Funk,
president of the National Corn association.
The interest of these farmers, all heads
of farm organizations, cannot be seriously
questioned. This correspondence was made
public year ago. 1t was generally published
in all the newspapers, including those of the
Twin Cities. How it escaped Mr.. Reeds at
tention we do not know.
But what were Mr.. Hoover's positive
efforts in behalf of the American farmer?
His own correspondence written 10 and IL
is on file in Washington, and much of it has
been printed in the Congressional Record.
Writing to H. C. Stuart, chairman of the
agricultural advisory board, in October,
1918, 10 years ago, after long review of
the hog market situation Mr.. Hoover said:
am extremely troubled at the situa-
ton for, as the board is well aware, the
one desire of the food administration is to
do justice to the food producer in the Unit
ed States and to secure him a proper
turn for his large exertions in providing
the world with larger food supplies.
1t should be observed that this is not a
presidential campaign document, but was
written 10 years ago, long before Hoover
was talked about for president, and long
before he was known to all the world as he
now is.
On January 9, 1918, Hoover wrote an
urgent letter to President Wilson in Paris,
as follows:
Our farmers and merchants are in eX-
IRENE jeopardy from their surplus of food
which the British now repudiate after pur-
chase, but which they obstruct to
wider freedom of market. The French OBJ
struct the notion of neutral trading with
Germany, although it would obvate both
the financial problem and distress
If there should be no remedy to this
situation shall have debacle in the
American markets and with the advance
of several hundred million dollars
outstanding from the banks to the pork in
dustry shall not only be preciptated
into financial crisis, but shall betray
the American farmer who has engaged
himself to these ends.
These, we submit, are hardly the words
one would expect from man who, Mr.. Reed
says, "as food administrator demonstrated
his opposition to the best interests of agri-
culture"
Later Mr.. Hoover again wrote to Presi-
dent Wilson in Paris:
AS you know 1 have been advocating
these points now for nearly two months,
and from selfish bureaucratic obstruc-
ton we have yet no results and
hope of obtaining any such results ex-
cept through strong Intervention on your
part.
On February a, 1919, nearly nine years
ago, Hoover wrote to President Wilson as
follows:
There is right in the law of God
man that should longer continue to
starve Europe now that we have surplus
of food. The French, by obstruction Of
every financial measure that pro-
pose for the feeding of Germany. in at
tempt to compel to loan money to
Germany for this purpose have defeated
every step far for getting them the
food which have been promising for
three months.
Again writing to President Wilson con-
corning some resolutions, Mr.. Hoover said:
The object of the second part Of the first Z
resolution and of the second resolution is
to at least find some channel by which the
Germans help themselves by trade
with neutrals and South America.
This letter written nine years ago should
have the additional effect of putting to rest
the absurd falsehood that Hoover refused to
give food to the Germans after the armistice.
That Hoover was pro-British during the
war as well as Indifferent to the American
farmer is completely disproved by the fol-
lowing letter, written to the British food
ministry on January 25, 1919, nearly nine
years ago:
Dear Sirs: In review of the situation.
in my letter to Mr.. Clynes and the British
ministry of food of January 2, 1t appears
to me that the time has urgently arrived
when the British food ministry, in justice
to the American farmer. who has made
great effort and Of patriotic de-
sire to comply with the urgent requests
Of the United Kingdom for the provision of
an adequate supply of fats. has produced
these fats far beyond any commercial justi-
fication of his normal market. should
have definite position or one of two al
ternatives. First either the British food
ministry should accept the financial re-
sponsibility for the moral obligation which
has been acknowledged by many of it's
members, and make such purchases for
the month of February will protect the
American farmers prices and that
government buying agencies (the Allied
governments), in the United States should
be Immediately withdrawn and trade al
lowed to resume its normal basis of sup
ply and demand The continuation of