Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-05-09
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Farm Board and Chamber of
Commerce of u. S. in
Open Warfare.
By toward W. PIckARp

WARFARE between the federal
w farm board and business as rep
resented by the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States reached its climax
at the annual meeting Of the chamber
In Washington. Stung by bitter crit
icism Of the boards policies, Alexan-
der Legge, its chairman, retored
scathingly. AS a member Of the board
he uttered a challenge to match any
other member dollar for dollar"
In financing a permanent nonproft
making organization to work for farm
betterment, a challenge that was later
accepted by Julius H. Barnes, chair
man of the board of the chamber and
wheat director under Herbert Hoover
during the war.
Mr.. Legge INDUCED freely in sar-
casm in his address.
II am sure that most Of you will
agree that you know more about the
agricultural situation and how to meet
1t than do" he said. "A considerable
percentage of your membership have
made that quite clear, and perhaps the
best answer can make is the state
ment that If this is true, and you
really know so much about it, the sit
uation presents very severe indict-
ment of the organization which, hav-
ing full information Of the facts, has
made so little effort to remedy the
situation.
when 1t became apparent that
means had been provided that really
would help the farmer get organized
comparatively so that he, like other
producers, would have some voice In
determining the sale price Of his com
modify, the effort was branded as gov
eminent price fixing, putting the gov
eminent in business, etc.
81 do not recall in years gone by
Of hearing you business men making
any such complaint against govern
ment aid that was extended to the
manufacturing industry, to transpor-
tation, and to finance"
Daniel A. Mlllett, an investment
banker and stock man of Denver, made
the chief speech in criticism of the
policies Of the farm board as fan
tastic attempts at sterilization with
out regard for the law Of supply and
demand and was loudly applauded. His
own formula, sin the interest of the
farmer and business man alike" he
said was:
81. Repeal the agricultural market
ing act and cease any such govern
mental attempts, and
SO. Revise our tariff downward, not
upward, with its elimination, save in
a few respects, as speedily as possible,
as our idea"
Secretary Of Agriculture Hyde, an
ex-officio member of the farm board,
defended its actions, and the discus
sion became general.
w. c. McCabe of Duluth, represent
ing the grain exchanges and dealers,
contended that the Independent grain
merchant cannot hope to meet the
situation created by the farm board.
II Is Lue TuludliOu Ol HIS DUST
ness" he said. at is unfair and I'M
American, and We demand that the
marketing act be modified"
Harrison Jones of Chicago said he
represented a four-billion-dollar poul-
try, butter and egg merchandising in
dustry. He demanded a policy Of
modification, whereby American citi-
zens may remain in business without
outlawry by government interference"
The chamber, at its closing session,
adopted a resolution condemning the
policies of the farm board and urging
repeal of provisions of the agricultur-
al marketing act which authorize the
use of public funds 'for the purpose
of participation in business in compe-
tition with established agencies" The
resolution advocated continuance of
the farm board as proper agency for
gathering information and for advice
and assistance toward the solution of
the farmers business problems.
President Hoover, speaking at the
chambers banquet, said the country
had passed through the worst Of its