Evening star., 1928-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE CITES INCREASE NNAONS LIVING STAN

IOF Sn1dlIeT countries. We certainty Qt'
not want any of them. We are more
anxious than they are to have thei,
sovereignty respected Our entire in
t1uence is in behalf of their indepen-
dence. Cuba stands as a witness to Il
adherence to this principle.
The position of this Government rel
| ative to the limitation of armaments
| the results already secured and the de
velopments up to the present time art
so well known to Congress that they dt
not require any resta .,..."nt.
Veterans Bureau.
Survey Recommended
The magnitude of our present sys-
tenn of veterans relief is without prece.
dent, and the results have been far
reaching. For years service pension
has. been granted to the Grand Arm,
and lately to survivors of the Spanish
! American War. At the time we entered
the World War however, Congress de-
parted from the usual pension system
! followed by our Government. Eleven
years have elapsed since our laws were
| first enacted initiating a system OF
compensation rehabilitation hospital
ization and insurance for the disabled
of the World War and their dependents
| The administration of all the laws con-
| cerning relief has been a difficult task
but it can safely be stated that these
measures have omitted nothing In their
desire to deal generously and humanely
We should continue to foster this syS-
| tenn and provide all the facilities nee
essary for adequate care. 1t is the con-
ception of our Government that the
pension roll is an honor roll. 1t should
ix1aJ n1J yR,bn iy1c
| to it's benefits, but exclude all others.
annual expenditures for all forms
of veterans relief now approximate
| $765, 900, 900, and are increasing from
year 10 year. It is doubtful If the peak
| of expenditures will be reached even
under present legislation for some time
yet to come Further amendments to the
existing law will be suggested by the
| American Legion, the Veterans of For
| eign Wars of the United States. the
| Disabled American Veterans of the
| World War and other like organizations
and it may be necessary for administra-
| tive purposes or in order to remove
some existing inequalities in the pres
| ent law to make further changes. am.
| sure that such recommendations as may
| be submitted to the Congress will re-
| ceiVe your careful consideration. But
| because of the vast expenditure now be-
| ing made each year, with every aSSur-
ance that 1t will increase, and because
of the great liberality of the existing
! law, the proposal Of any additional leg
| islation dealing with this subject should
receive most searching scrutiny from
the Congress.
"You are familiar with the suggestion
| that the various public agencies now
| dealing with matters of veterans re-
| lief be consolidated in one Government
department. Some advantages to this
plan seem apparent, especially in the
simplification of administration and
in the opportunity of bringing about
a greater uniformity in the applica-
ton of veterans relief. I recommend
that survey be made by the proper
committees of Congress dealing with
this subject, in order to determine
whether legislation to secure this con-
solidation is desirable.
Farm Situation
Shows Improvement.
'The past year has been marked by
notable though not uniform improve
ment IN agriculture. The general pur-
chasing power of farm products and
the volume of production have advanc-
ed. This means not only further prog
ress in overcoming the price diSpar-
ity into which agriculture was plunged
in l920-21, but also increased efficiency
on the part of farmers and we'll
grounded confidence in the future of
agriculture.
"The live stock industry has attained
the best balance for many years and Is
prospering conspicuously. Dairymen,
beef producers and poultrymen are re-
ceiving substantially larger returns than
Cation oil i.>
price than at this time last year, was
produced in greater volume, and the
prospect for cotton incomes is favorable.
But progress is never uniform in q
vast and highly diversified agriculture
or industry. Cash grains, hay tobacco,
and potatoes will bring somewhat
smaller returns this year than last
Present indications are, however, that
the gross farm income will be some
what larger than in the crop year
1929, when the total was Sl2253.-
o00 200: The corresponding figure for
l926-27 was $i2,127,0 600, 900, and in
l925-26, $12,670 ,000, ,000 Still better re-
suits would have been secured this year
had there not been an undue increase
In the production of certain crops
rms Is particularly true of potatoes
which have sold at an unremunerative
price, or at a loss, as a direct result of
overeXpansion of acreage.
The present status of agriculture
although greatly improved over that
oI a lew years ago. bespeaks the need
OF Iurtner improvement, which calls for
determined effort of farmers them
serves, encouraged and assisted by wise
PUBIC policy. The Government has
been, and must continue to be. alive
10 the needs of agriculture.
IN the past eight vaarc yo,ora o1.~
structlVe legislation of direct benefit
10 agriculture has been adopted than
curing any other period The Depart-
ment OF Agriculture has been broad
ened and reorganized to insure greater
e1hclency. The department is lavine
greater stress on the economic and blIs9
mess phases of agriculture. It is lend
ing every possible assistance to CO.
operative marketing associations Reg
uIaCory ana research work have been
IheslesaCed order that each field may
De served more effectively.
l cannot too strongly commend i,
Ine held of fact finding, the research
woIK OF tne Department of Agricultl,re
sHo tne state experiment stations The
uepa[tLlent now receives annually
S4,uoo,uOO more for research than in
1921. In addition the funds Maid to
the states for experimentation nurnoens
under the Purnell act constitute an an
nual increase in Federal payments to
state agricultural experiment stations
OF 400,0C0 over the amount appro-
prlated In 1921. The program of sup
port !or research may wisely be con-
tlnued and expanded. Since 1921 we
have appropriated nearly an additional
s2,000000 for extension work, and this
sum is to be increased next year under
the authorization by the Capper-
Ketcham act.
Agricultural Surplus
Remedy Held Necessary.
While these developments in funda-
, mental research, regulation and dis
semlnatlon OF agricultural information
are of distinct help to agriculture addi-
| ti0nal effort is tanadnd .-...,.,1...