Evening star., 1929-07-03
Politics at Large

| The farm problem, which has played
| its part in politics for years, Is IN dan
ger of being removed from the field OF
politics to that of business and eco
some of the politicians. On the other
| hand the American farmer Is likely to
| benefit by the change. In the first
place, Congress has finally put through
a farm relief bill In the second place,
] President Hoover is succeeding In plac-
/ ing in charge Of the administration Of
| the new law men of great executive
ability as well as men who are thor
oughly familiar with the problems OF
| the farmer There are, to be sure, the
croakers, who insist that the new farm
| law is of no value and that 1t Is sure
| to be a failure. They are not Tound
among the farmers themselves-who are
| hoping for some real measure OF relief
| but among the disgruntled politicians
who have opposed the administration
| in its efforts to put through the new
| law.
The President has been greatly sue
| cessful in obtaining the services OF men
| of ability on the new Federal Farm
Board as well as in other governmental
positions. And one of his outstanding
| successes was the acceptance OF the
1
| Alexander Legge, who has been for
| wears president of the international
| Harvester trust. During the World
| War Mr.. Legge was vice chairman OF
| the War Industries Board and man.
ager of the Allied Purchasing Commis-
sion. Other appointees to the board
| include James G. Stone OF Kentucky,
| representing the tobacco growers; G. B.
Denman of Missouri, representing live
1 ~ Il nf
| homa, representing cotton; Charles c.
| league of California, representing the
,, fruit growers. Mr.. Stone is slated to be
vice chairman of the board, and year
hence when Mr.. Legge relinquishes the
| Craftsmanship, as he is now expected to
| do, Mr.. Stone IS to succeed him IN
that office
The total membership of the new
| board is eight, plus the Secretary of
President will have completed the per-
sonnel of the board within week and
| that the actual job of putting the farm
| law into effect will be undertaken with
| out further loss of time. In making his
I, appointments to the Farm Board the
! President has sought the best men OBJ
| tainable in the various branches OF the
| agricultural industry The salaries pro-
| vided by law, $4,000 q year, have not
| been such as to appeal to men who are
| leaders in their fields of endeavor in
| this country. Mr.. Hoover has there
| fore been compelled to appeal to their
patriotism. He has done so with sue
cess, for, beginning with Mr.. Legge on
| down the line the new members OF the
board are making personal financial
sacrifices in taking the jobs. The Pres1-
| dent has had big talking point. He
| has been able to convince these men
| that a great opportunity to aid the basic
| industry of the country, agriculture, and
| thus the whole country, is before them.
k* y
! It was not many weeks ago that some
| of the political windjammers were pre-
| dieting dire things for the Hoover ad-
ministration. The Senate, it was said,
was on rampage and there would be
| no farm bill. The House had taken
| the bit in its teeth and raised the tarih
| duties to an extent that threatened dis
aster to the Republicans at the polls
| next year and in 1892. But the debacle
| has not yet arrived, perhaps much to
| the disappointment OF some OF the ad-
| ministration's opponents. The farm bill
has become a law. The Federal Farm
! Board, with a revolving fund Of $780,
| o00, 900 or so much thereof as may be
necessary at this time, is about to get
\
| tariff is concerned is Frightening. There
are assurances from some of the most
supposedly hard-boiled high protection
| ist members of the Senate finance COM
mittee that duties placed in the bill by
| the House are to be lowered or wiped
out entirely. Furthermore, the Senate
itself is likely to come to the aid of the
administration in keeping the tariff
revision limited"
| Congress has gone away for a recess
| while the Senate finance committee
| wrestles with the tariff bill. Perhaps
| that is responsible for diminution oi
| the gloomy forecasts. The Senate and
| House are the great forums of political
and other prediction, End 1t Is usually
| the pessimistic forecast that gets the
| greatest play In the newspapers.
| And now along comes the Treasury
| Department with a statement that there
is surplus of some $185. 100000. Thi:
| surplus has its political significance
In the first place, it means that the
| dition. Otherwise the tax returns
| would inevitably fall of and there
would be no surplus, when the heavy
governmental expenditures are taker
into consideration. And as long as the
! country continues in prosperous con-
dition, there is little chance of change
| of political control. It is In hard times
that political revolts materialize. Sec.
] ondly, there looms up the possibility
! recommendation by the Republican
Chief Executive, may be able to reduce
Federal taxes still further. right on the
| eve Of q political campaign. Some way
| or another, this tax reduction just be.
fore an election has been possible 9
| number Of times since the Republicans
took over the reins of Government eight
| years ago. There Is little doubt thai
these tax reductions have had theil
| influence on the results of the elec-
tions. Former President Coolidge:
slogan Of economy and tax reduction
was the greatest factor in the popularity
| which he built up for himself and his
| party throughout the country. Presi-
! dent Hoover already has demanded q
continued practice of economy in gov
ernmental expenditures and Is talking
hopefully Of another diminution of the
Federal taxes, to be undertaken when
Congress meets in regular session 1r
December.
Kansas next year will have the privi-
lege Of electing two United States Sena-
| tors. The term of Senator Arthur Cap
per, the senior Senator from the Sum
flower State, expires March 8, 1881. He
must, therefore, stand for reelection In
1880. His colleague, Senator Henry j
Allen, now serving by appointment OF
Gov. Reed to I'LL temporarily the va
cancy caused by the election of Vice
President Curtis to the second highest
executive office In the land, also must
stand for reelection. A few days age
Senator Allen announced at his home
in Wichita that he liked life In the
Senate and was going to seek election
to succeed himself. When Senator Cap
per reached Topeka last Friday he