Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-03

3 widespread
unemployment and suffering
Measures Of Cooperation.
have, therefore instituted systematic voluntary
measures Of cooperation with the business nStitu-
tons and with State and municipal authorities to
make certain that fundamental businesses of the
country shall continue usual that wages and
therefore consuming power shall not be reduced
and that a special effort shall be made to expand
construction work in order to assist in equazing
other deficits in employment Due to the enlarged
sense of cooperation and responsibility which has
grown in the business world during the past few
years the response has been remarkable and salts
factory. We have canvaSSed the Federal Govern
IN such work that should be helpful and upon which
the different departments will make some early rec
concentrations TO Congress
am convinced that through these measures
have re-established confidence. Wages should
main stable. very large degree of induskial
have occurred has been prevented. Agricultural
prices have reflected the returning confidence The
measures taken must be vigorously pursued until
normal conditions are restored.
Agriculture.
The agricultural situation is improving The
gross tarm income as estimated by the Department
OF Agriculture for the crop season 1926-27 was
$2 100 900 600; for 1929 it was $12 800 600 900;
for s28-l929 1t was $l2, 600 O0O and estimated
on the basis of prices since the last harvest the
value of the 1s29-sO crop would be over $12,650,-
100000. The slight decline in general commodity
prices during the past few years naturally assists
the farmers buying power.
The number of farmer bankruptcies is very ma
terially decreased below previous years. The decline
In land values now seems to be arrested and rate
of movement from the farm to the city has been
reduced Not all sections of agriculture, of course,
have Jared equally and some have suffered
from drought. Responsible farm leaders have
Sured me that large measure of confidence Is
turning to agriculture and that feeling of op-
tmlsm perVaoes that industry.
Federal Farm Board.
The most extensive action for strengthening the
agricultural industry ever taken by any govern
ment was 1naugurated through the farm marketing
IL
eral Farm Board has been established, comprised
Of men long and widely experienced in agriculture
ana sponsored by the farm organizations of the
country. During its short period Of existence the
board has taken deanite steps toward a more eff
Client organization OF agriculture toward the elm
nation of waste in marketing, and toward the up
building of farmers marketing organizations on
sounder and more efficient lines. Substantial head
way has been made in the organization of four of
the basic commodties-grain, cotton, livestock and
wool. Support by the board to cooperative
ketng Organizations and other board activities I'M
doubedly have served to steady the farmers market
during the recent crisis and have operated also
a great stimulus to the cooperative organization
OF agriculture. The problems of the industry
most complex, and the need for sound organization
is imperative Yet the board is moving rapidly
along the lines laid out for it in the act facilitating
the creation by farmers OF farmer -owned and farm
sr-cOntrolled organizations and federatng them into
central institutions, with view to increasing the
bargaining power of agriculture, preventing and
controlling SURPRISES, and mobilizing the economic
power OF agriculture
The Tariff.
Inc special session OF congress was called 10 eX-
pedite the fulhllment of party pledges Of agrcul-
aural relief AMI the tariff The pledge of farm
relief has been carried out. At that time stated
the principles upon which believed action should
be taken in respect to the tariff
AN effective tariff upon agricultural products,
that will compensate the farmers higher costs
and higher standards of living has dual purpose
Such tariff not only protects the farmer in our
diversity his crops and to grow products that he
could not otherwise produce and thus lessons his
dependence upon exports to foreign markets. The
nj md tna
conditions have mentioned renders foreign COM
petition in our export markets increasingly serious
II seems but natural therefore, that the American
farmer, having been greatly handicapped in his
foreign market by such competition from the
younger expanding countries should ask that for
eign access to our domestic market should be reg
ulated by taking into account the differences in
our costs OF production.
Need for Changes.
I'm considering the tariff for other industries
than agriculture We find that there have been
economic shifts necesSitating a readjustment of
some of the tariff schedules Seven years of ex-
perience under the tarin bill enacted in 1922 have
demonstrated the wisdom Of Congress in the
actment OF that measure. On the whole it has
worked WELL In the main wages have been
maintained at high levels; exports and i'm
ports have steadily increased; with some excep-
lions our manufacturing industries have been
prosperous. Nevertheless, economic changes have
taken place during that time which have placed
certain domestic products at disadvantage and
new industries have come into being all of which
create the necessity for some limited changes in
the schedules and in the administrative clauses
"It would seem to me that the test OF neces-
Sity for revision is in the MAN, whether there has
been q substantial Slackening of activity in an
industry during the past few years. and a con-
sequent decrease Of employment due to inSur-
mountable competition in the products of that in
dustry. 1t Is not IS II setting UP a new
basis Of protective duties. We did that
years ago. What we need to remedy now is what
ever substantial loss Of employment may have
resulted from shifts since that time.
Interest of Other Countries.
I'm determining changes in our tariff we must
not fail to take into account the broad interests
OF the country as whole, and such interests in
cude our trade relations with other countries
No condition has arisen in my view to change
these principles stated at the opening of the special
plication to the pending revision will give the
country the kind of a tariff law 1t both needs and
wants. 1t would be most helpful If action should
be taken at an early moment. more especially at g.
operating to minimize future uncertainties. 1t is
just that they should know what the rates to be-
Even a limited revision requires the conSdera-
ton and readjustment OF many items The ex-
haustiVe inquiries and valuable debate from men
representative Of all parts OF the country which Is
needed to determine the detailed rates must neces-
sarly be accomplished in the Congress. However
perfectly this rate structure may De framed at any
given time, the shifting of economic forces which
inevitably will render changes In some items
desirable between the necessarily long intervals OF
congressional revision. Injustces are bound to de-
Veop. such as experienced by the oarymenI
the naxseed producers the glass industry, and 9TH
ers under the 1922 rates. For this reason, have
been most anxious that the broad principle OF the
neXible tariff provided in the existing law should
be preserved and its delays in action avoided by
more expeditions methods of determining the costs
Oh production at home and abroad Win executive
authority to promugate such changes upon recon-
massive investigation. Changes by the Congress In
me isolated items such as those to whlch nave