Evening star., 1929-12-15
BY WILLIAM HARD.

The outstanding political event nation
ally Of the past week has been the
mounting wave Of agricultural Senti-
ment in favor of the Federal Farm
Boards present efforts. particularly in
reference to grain, and in favor of q
quick passage of the tariff bill with its
present schedules as more or less
etermined-principally more-by the
can inr'" S in the Senate. This
doub . G yelOpment begins to put new
face on the farm problem and indicates
strongly that possibly within the next
few months the country will pass out
of the period of agricultural agitation
for new legislation into a period marked
by the carrying Of that legislation into
practical constructive effort.
The immediate origin of the sudden
surge of farm feeling on behalf of the
Federal Farm Board has been due to
outcries against the board in certain
quarters in the private grain trade.
Numerous grain dealers have thought
themselves threatened in the very exist
ence of their businesses by the boards
operations. In degree their fears have
been fully justified. The Federal Farm
Board, under the chairmanship of Alex
ander Legge, formerly president of the
International Harvester Co., is setting
up q cooperative farmer-controlled
wheat organization which undoubtedly
will do considerable part of the work
OF buying and selling formerly done
by private enterprise. In fact. it can
probably safely be said that no such
drastic competition under governmental
auspices against the private businesses
of private citizens has ever before hap
pened in American history.
It Is true that members Of the Federal
Farm Board do not think that this COM
petition will annihilate the private grain
dealers. Ex-Gov. McKelvie of Nebraska,
a member of the board. expresses to
this writer the view that the CO.
operative organization set up by the
board and financed by the board will
be able within the immediate future to
control not more than so per cent of
the wheat marketed. Large room will
be left, in eX-Gov. McKelvie's opinion,
for sound and serviceable private grain
firms. Mr.. McKelvie also thinks that
the increased stability given to the grain
market by the Federal Farm Boards
operations and by the farmer controlled
cooperative wheat pool will be of posi-
tive advantage to such grain dealers as
are engaged not in mere speculation but
in the actual merchandising of wheat.
The cOnSoling thoughts, however, from
Mr.. McKelVie and from other members
Of the board do not suffice to allay the
anxiety of grain dealers who see be-
the need for their activities and who
realize that a certain number of them,
at any rate. may presently be obliged to
seek other occupations. They thereupon
have had the hardwood to express fears
as to the wisdom of the present policy
of the Government toward their means
Of livelihood.
This attitude on their part was appar-
emily all that was needed to convince
multitudes Of farmers that the Federal
Farm Board must be moving In the
right direction. II it was going to hurt
the grain dealers, the board must be
"the farmers friend" Convinced by
that reasoning, the agricultural interest
has begun to oVerwhelm the board with
protestations Of its approval and sup
port.
Senator Nye of North Dakota has
been the first Republican insurgent to
launch his boat on the new tide. In
the Senate he has made a protracted
speech, of which the gist is that last
May he was a Skeptic regarding the
Federal Farm Board, but that now in
view Of the behavior of the private
grain trade toward the board, his senti-
mentS are as follows:
THE board has taken the side of the
farmer in no uncertain manner. I feel
quite assured today OF the honesty of
purpose of Chairman Legge and of the
board. The fight now being made upon
the Farm Board by influences which
have built up a little world of their
own in the grain marketing field is
the best possible indication of the SYM
pathetic administration now being given
to the farm bill"
1t can be accurately stated, in sum,
that at this week end the organized
farmers of the United States, through
most of their societies, such as (notably)
the American Farm Bureau Federation
and the National Grange and the
Farmers Union, have at length rallied
definitely to the Farm Board as the
immediate forum through which they
have their best hope of working out
their problem to q solution.
This change Of spirit is fortified and
complemented by a precisely parallel
change of spirit in reference. to the
tariff bill. A few months ago the at
titude of the Western farmers to the
tariff bill seemed to be one almost en-
tirely of resistance and negation The
Eastern powers of evil were thought to
be In control of tariff legislation and
the principal effort Of the West was
expended in fighting the East That
was the stage of obstruction.
X y
We now in the tariff matter seem to
Int nf
ment. The coalition of Democrats and
of Republican insurgents In the Senate
has rewritten the duties in the bill to
such an extent that Senator Nye. al
ways alert to catch all the new drifts
Of things. has been willing to commit