Evening star., 1930-12-12

After long period of severe criticism
the Federal Farm Board Is viewed Will
more friendly eyes, as a result of recen
moves. Support of wheat prices through
purchases in the market have impressed
the public, while the scheme for use Of
this grain for feeding purposes Is con-
Sidered with open minds, particularly
because of the possible effect on acreage
planted. There are still opponents Of
Government action in business, and
those who contend that grain in The
possession of the Government may be Q
handicap.
within a period of 10 days." de.
clares the Asheville Times, "tlfe fortune.
and prestige Of the Farm Board have
changed from depression to apparent
success. For the present, the board
has saved the farmers of the grain belt
from a crisis far graver than any they
have yet encountered in falling prices
And it is probable that the board stands
ready to intervene as often as may be
necessary to end panicky selling.
If, in the weeks Immediately ahead, the
wheat market demonstrates the sound
ness of the Farm Boards program, an
other foundation stone viii have been
laid for a new structure Of stabilized
general business"
large operators in the grain market who
were so open in their criticism of the
board, when, earlier in the year, it first
made grain purchases, speaks volumes, =
in the opinion of the Madison WiScon-
son State Journal, "and Is strong con-
flrmation of the declaration, emanating
even from the wheat pit, that the
American market was close to q panic
and that, had it not been for the con-
siStent purchases by the Farm Board,
the wheat price would have tumbled
to such a figure as to have rendered
American agricultural conditions pre-
carious." The State Journal concludes
its discussion with the quotation from
Chairman Legge of the board that "the
consumption offered in the feeding of
wheat to cattle creates a market that
should place wheat at rs cents"
The South Bend Tribune holds that
so long as the grain corporation main
tatns its position in the wheat market,
criticism will be minimized." That paper
also says as to prevention Of q market
break, This is service which can be
appreciated by virtually everybody, for
collapse OF American grain prices to the
Liverpool and Winnipeg levels would
add to business uncertainty" The
GAINESVILLE Gazette finds assurance that
the Grange supports the board, and
adds, with other farm organizations
refusing to take the bait of the private
marketing organizations, there appears
to be harmony In support OF the board
by the farmers"
Tendency to criticize the board, I"
AYERS the Lexington Leader, els by no
means so strong as 1t was. The farmers
are beginning to wake up to what has
been accomplished and what is possible
under the act which the board is ad-
ministering." The st. Paul Pioneer
Press feels that, ain the absence Of any
other explanation, the purchases of the
Farm Board must be given credit for
stabilizing the market at Chicago, so
that, while normally several cents be-
low winnipeg, 1t Is now well above that
market" The condition is believed by
the Pioneer Press to "invite new con-
sideration of the possibilities of the Fed
eral farm marketing act" That paper
also concludes that "the contrasted Sit
uation at Chicago and Winnipeg demon
strates that, through marketing act
operations, the board has found It DOS
sible to make the tariff effective on
wheat to q degree"
The re-entry into the market i'm
presses the DeS Moines Register as
"erasing the supposed failure of mar
ket intervention last Spring" and "in-
furiating the bitter opponents Of all
Government aid to the farm" The
Register concludes as to future pros
pectst More legislation will likely
come before the farm parity fight is
over. The present may be a time to
consolidate the gains already seized.
The farm act and the Farm Board may
be more wisely defended as the founda-
ton than attacked because in so short