Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-02
INCREASED WHEAT
SALE HELD NEEDED
Wider Use of Product Urged
by Business Men of
Nation.
BY ]. C. ROYLE.

The statistical position of whea
throughout the world is showing i'm
provement according to official Govern
ment figures. There Is no alarming
prospect that the coming crops eithe
here or abroad will be of bumper pro
portions But the consumption of whea
is not improving satisfactorily.
In consequence, many of the business
men outside the agricultural field gath
cred here for the meeting of the United
States Chamber of Commerce feel thai
improvement for the wheat grower must
come through the same steps which
have been efficacious in their own bust
ness-namely, a development OF wider
use of wheat.
The Farm Board, represented by its
chairman, Alexander Legge, however
maintains that cooperation Is neces-
sary not only among the farmers them
selves, but among men in industrial lines,
in order to make the collective market
ing program of the board fully effec-
tive. He states the board has been sue
ceSsful "in a measurable degree" IN
stabilizing price levels for wheat and
cotton, but declares that in their own
interests manufacturers and mduStrlal
producers should support the program
to a fuller extent.
Legge's Challenge.
A demand that the farm marketing
act under which the Farm Board OPP
crates, be repealed has been made by
group in the Chamber of Commerce
headed by Daniel A. Millett of Denver.
The attitude with which the question
is viewed by both sides is shown by the
challenge of Mr.. Legge to match dol
lar for dollar" in the ESTABLISHMENT OF
a foundation to discover better meth
cd of aiding the farmer, and the &C
ceptance of this challenge on behalf OF
the chamber by Julius H. Barnes.
Mr.. Iegge points out that farmers
constitute almost a third OF the popu-
lation and that it Is to the interest OF
the manufacturer to see that the farmer
has more money in his pocket than
barely enough to live on. In failing 10
do so. he adds, the industrial producer
automatically cuts OF third OF ms
potential customers. AS an liiuSCraClon'
he cites many industries which nave
shown a decrease in production solely
because the farmer could not puy "hdU
those industries produced.
The belief has been expressed IN many
quarters that prices for farm producCS
were being artifcially and autocratls
callv controlled by the board. Mr..
TerSe answers this by declaring tnat
the most important function OF colIec-
tive action by the farmers IS 10 orlng
nroduction, both as to kind and amount
more nearly in line with normal mar
keting requirements. 4.
OBJECTIONS that the Government Is
going into the banking business py
means of the loans made available 1y
the Farm Board to farmers 10 enaple
them to market their crops In an or
derlv manner are answered by the as,
sertion that If private business ana
banking interests do not md 1t worm
while or to their interest to AID the
farmer in this manner, they nave Smali
cause to complain if the Government
I]oes so. 1t is added that 1t Is as nee
eSsarv that the price OF commodities pe
stabilized as that prices OF the security
markets be stabilized, for which purpose
private bankers and Government asen-
cies united.
The Weather Question.
In the midst of this somewhat bitter
discussion now in progress between
some industrialists and the farmers. the
Question of the weather injects itself as
a major factor. No great danger from
excessive crops from other countries Is
apparent, but reports from various sec
lions indicate that producers OF wneat,
cotton. tobacco and other farm products
are not a unit in agreeing to follow the
advice of the Farm Board to reduce
acreage or change to other crops.
Department of Agriculture hgures IN
dictate that farm commodity prices I'M
proved slightly in the period from
from March Is to April Is.
CCopyright. 1880.