The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-31

Editor Times-I agree with all
you say about the Grundy "robber"
tariff, but do not think there is any
need to get "all bet up over it, be-
cause it is probable that in very
few years the tariff on most fac
tory made goods will become inef-
fective, just as the tariff on most
farm crops now is ineffective.
There now is tariff of AZ cents
a bushel on wheat, but it is inef-
fective, because the farmers of this
country produce more wheat than
we can consume. The surplus must
be sold in the worlds markets at
the worlds price, and that has the
effect of bringing the whole of the
crop down to the world price. So
it is with all major farm crops and
so it will be in a few years with
all the major products of our fac
tories.
In this country, in the last sixteen
years, there has been a fundamental
change in industrial conditions. Be
fore the World war we man
ufactured little more than we con-
sumed at home. During the war
and for several years after its close
we did most of the manufacturing
for the whole world, because
European manufacturers we're with
out capital to carry on.
Millions of men left the farms to
get the high wages paid in the
factories. Farmers were compelled
to equip their farms with labor
saving implements tractors, two
row cultivatorS, combines
The census will not show it, be-
cause all towns and villages of less
than $500 are classed as suburban,
but it is a fact the farms of this
country are being operated with
little more than half the man power
that was required twenty years ago.
The percentage of our population
that must depend for living upon
work in the factories is far greater
than it was twenty years ago; and
if all are given full time employ
ment, our factories will produce far
more than we can consume here
and the surplus that must be sold
abroad will bring the whole down
to the price prevailing in the worlds
markets.
So let them pass the Grundy rob-
Der tariff, the sooner the better.
The sooner wage earners learn that
no tariff, be it ever so high, can
give them full time employment,
the sooner the manufacturers real
ize that if their factories are to
run full time they must sell
part of their product abroad in
competition with the factories of
other countries, the better it will
be for all of us.
HORACE CHADWICK,
Morristown, Ind.
Editor Times-Your editorial of
May q, Signs Of Flood" evidently
was written on the spur of the
moment. 1t is misleading and does
not give any true light on the pro-
hibition poll of The Literary Digest.
The Digest distributed 10000, 0CO
ballots, and recorded only Is per
cent or 100000 of these. I should
ike to know whether all the
recipients were voters, if women re-
ceived as many ballots as the men,
although the evidence is that they
did not, what proportion went to
the city and rural population. and
upon what basis the number Of
ballots for each state was de-
termined?
You point to the accuracy of the
Digest's presidential polls pre-
dictions I grant that and the ballot
box substantiates it. Its 1922 pro-
hibition poll die not stand the ballot
box test. That poll showed 80 per
cent enforcement, 40 per cent
modification. and II per cent for re-
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