The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-08-29
NEWS review OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Drought Relief Program Is
in Effect, Directed by
President Hoover.
By EDWARD w. PlckARD


nEFINITE plans for drought re-
~ lief were made at conference
In the White House which was partic-
ipated in by the governors of the
states most seriously affected. To
these executives President Hoover
stated the program on which he and
Secretary Of Agriculture Hyde had
been working for week, and in the
main it was approved by them. Its
principal features are the setting up
Of federal, state and county organi-
cations through which financial aid
may be given farmers who have suf-
fered severely from the long dry
spell, and arrangements for emerg-
ency means to prevent human suffer-
ing.
One relief step already was in eff
fect-the reduction by 80 per cent of
freight rates on live stock and feed in
and out Of the drought areas. In Or
der to make the new rates directly
available where they are needed ar
rangements were made for the De-
partment of Agriculture to certify to
the railroad companies Of each state
where the drought is sufficiently acute
to justify them. Any dealer or farm
er desiring to move any Of the emer-
gency commodities reports his needs to
the local county agent, who may ap-
prove or disapprove the application
and notify the local station agent of
the, railroad. A special liaison officer
in Washington handles negotiations
on particular cases between the De-
partment of Agriculture and the rail-
roads.
1t is believed that use of the coun-
ty agents, who are under the Depart
ment of Agriculture, will prevent any,
one taking speculative advantage Of
the lower rates.
Following his conference with the
governors, the President met the heads
of the National Grange, the Farmers
union and the American Farm Bureau
federation. Chairman Legge of the
federal farm board also was in Wash
ington, having hurried back from the
Northwest by plane. .
President Hoover announced that
his plans for vacation trip to Gla-
cier and Yellowstone national parks
were Cancelled and that he would re-
main in or near Washington to help
put into effect the drought relief pro-
gram, spending the week-ends at his
camp on the Rapidan.
HOUSEWIVES of the country are
warned not to let themselves be
gouged by dealers in vegetables, fruit
and other foodstuffs. There is no
cause for alarm over a shortage of
such commodities, and no justification
for marked advance in prices ex-
cept in certain localities. Congress-
man La Guardia called upon the
President and Secretary Hyde to re-
port that profiteers in New York city
had raised prices from 20 to IS per
cent. Mr.. Hyde said there would be
no profteering by the farmers, and
that the government would do what
it could to stop price gouging by mid
dlemen.
Reports that barley, wheat and rye,
small grain usually more costly than
corn, were being substituted generally
over the country for corn as feed for
animals and in industrial uses. were
noted. The existing barley crop of
330,000,000 bushels is almost twice
the size of any barley crop produced
in the last ten years. 1t has increased
in value in recent weeks, and is being
used to larger extent in dairy feeds
and by farmers, chiefly in Wisconsin
and Minnesota, millers reported.
Corn products manufacturers have
purchased rye and barley as well as
wheat in recent weeks for substitution
in making industrial alcohol.
Nature did something in the way of
relief. sending cooler weather and oc-
casional rains to some parts of the
corn belt.
nESPITE the facts that he bolted
- fho D10,.hffoon kfol~o< L. 1000 e. \