The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-16

WASHINGTON. July 16-Co-
operative marketing on such q large
scale as to dominate the trading in
farm commodities is the basis of the
agricultural rehabilitation program
upon which the government has just
been launched.
The enterprise is the most stu
pendous step toward agricultural
control ever attempted by any gov
eminent, according to the congress-
men who enacted the agricultural
marketing act, popularity known as
the farm relief bill.
Those who drafted and voted for
the farm bill say it contains ample
machinery to give agriculture the
same protection that is afforded the
financial industry through the fed
eral reserve act. the railroads
through the transportation law and
manufacture and labor through q
protective tariff.
Doubt is still expressed in some
quarters as to whether the gigantic
experiment in farm protection will
work as congress has intended it to
do. 1t is admitted on all sides its
success is in the hands of President
Hoover. If he has appointed the
right kind of farm marketing
board. as created in the act, and the
board functions along the lines an
ticipated. it is hoped the farmer will
be relieved and agriculture again
will become q prosperous industry
No Relief for This Year
No relief is foreseen for this year
and some doubt whether the board
will be functioning sufficiently we'll
to protect next years crops.
The farm act is divided into two
parts. The first is q declaration OF
policy and the second creates the
machinery to carry it out.
The policy is defined as the desire
of congress ito promote the effec-
tive merchandising of agricultural
commodities in interstate and for
eign commerce, SO that the industry
of agriculture will be placed on a
basis of economic equality with other
industries, and to that end to pro-
tect. control and stabilize the cur
rents of interstate and foreign COM
rerce in the marketing of agricul-
tural commodities and their food
products
Minimizing of speculation. pre-
vention Of waste, encouragement OF
cooperative marketing, control =
SURPRISES and prevention OF undue
and excessive fluctuations or de-
pressions in farm prices, are aims
outlined N the law.
In order to carry out the policy
a farm board of nine members is
created. Eight are to be active and
to be appointed by the President.
The ninth, an ex-oft1cio member, Is
the secretary of agriculture. The
board is given $500,000,000 to be used
as a revolving fund and to be
loaned to farmers, cooperative or
CARNATIONS and surplus control
boards. Broad powers are given to
the board to organize and carry on
it's work, but it is given no power to
initiate crop protective action.
Committees Are Possible
Advisory commodity committees,
without regulatory powers, can be
organized to initiate the placing 81
machinery into action that will ex-
tend federal aid to 9 commodity.
Sterilization corporations to act as
marketing agencies and as central
sales agencies for each commodity
are also set up.
In sinplif1ed language the purpose
of the law is to aid the farmer in
planting his crop by loaning him
money if he needs it, to aid him in
disposing of it by creating Co
operative organization to take 1t
over and sell it. to protect market