Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-01
LEGGE CHAMPIONS
CAUSE OF FARMERS
Time Has Come for AgricuI-
turaI Protection, He Tells
c. c. Delegates.
BY JOHN r. SINCLAIR.

Maybe the farmers know 1t, and
maybe not, but their cause was never
better championed than it was yester-
day, when Alexander Legge, chairman
of the Federal Farm Board, presented
the case of the hard-pressed farmer
before the annual meeting OF the
United States Chamber of Commerce.
without mincing words, Mr.. Legge
told the business men that too many OF
them wanted all the benefits OF protec-
ton, but that the time had now arrived
when the farmer was going to get his
share, too.
Mr.. Legge is a protectionist. He be-
heves in protecting industry, but, I'M
like many other industrialists, he is also
strongly in favor Of effective protection
for agriculture.
what urge on you," he said, us
that we need not more combinat ions--
including farmers-but less interference
with the economic law of supply and
demand-functioning through price. be-
cause this is the only sure, inevitable,
sound, scientific method OF eliminating
the marginal producer"
"The national chamber of commerce
was really responsible for the enactment
Of the Federal farm act" said the chair
man of the Farm Board, and in rebuttal
reminded his hearers that two years ago
they voted Overwhelmingly in favor OF
cooperation. Now, when the Federal
Farm Board is developing a policy OF
building both cooperative buying and
cooperative selling organizations, many
Of the chambers membership have
raised hue and cry accusing the mar
keting act of being both paternahstlc
and socialistic.
"Too many of your members were for
the principle of cooperation only II 1t
didn't work." said the hard-hitting
Legge. You fellows got yours because
you were organized-the farmers didn't
get theirs because they were not or
0ariized All we're attempting to do Is
put 'em in the class with you. Soon as
they're in q class to protect themselves
the Government will get out and let
them handle their affairs alone"
Probably no more important Knock
down-and-drag-ou fight has ever oc-
CURED in the national association, with
business leaders representing score OF
industries speaking both for and against
the Federal Farm Board and its policies.
These particular expressions were ire
ouently heard during the debate:
"Being driven to the wall"
"Going bankrupt"
1.-THE Government has killed our
business"
"A serious crisis for American busi-
ness"
"Un-American."
IAN intolerable situation"
But Chairman Legge stood his ground
and insisted that the Farm Board was
attempting to bring agriculture up to an
economic parity with industry, and was
doing nothing more for 1t than industry
has done in its own field. He was as
sisted by the effective impromptu speech
Of Secretary Hyde.
Dan M. Millett, investment banker
and stockman of Denver, Colo, making
the principal speech against the Federal
Farm Board act, impressed me as JET
fersonian Democrat, q free trader and
a man who believes in the free play OF
economic forces without handrance OF
any kind Of legislation.
This sums up the Millett philosophy,
It Is the old-fashioned free-trade phi
losophy, although 1t seemed a queer place
to express 1t, for the vast majority OF
the delegates to the convention have
been the recipients of tariff favors in
the industrial field.
when a price Is profitable for any
product, its production increases; when
Improbable, it's production decreases"
continued this Colorado business man.
Such philosophy is hard on some
people, but in the long run it's the only
effective way to meet and solve world
trade problems, he insisted.
Better far readjust our tariff down.
ward" said Mr.. Millett, cor, IL we viii
not do that, in justice to the farmer,
take the lesser evil of an export bounty.
but don't make our hands empty by o
decreased production"
This Is In reply to the Federal Farm
Boards policy Of championing q de-
crease In production in both cotton and
wheat.
Mr.. Millett believes the principle is
basieally unsound, that 1t will only cause
ruin to our foreign trade and to the
farmer eventually.
(Copyrisht. 1890. by North American News
paper Alliance)