Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-07-06
FEDERAL FARM
BOARD BLAMED
Criticism Meets Economic
Administration AS Cut
In Produce Prevails
BY HARRY L. SEXTON


v WASHINGTON, July 5-The Fed
eral Farm Board, created Tor the
sole purpose OF solving the economic
problems OF American agriculture,
is being subjected TO much criticism
as a result OF the gradu decline
in prices Of practically all farm pro-
ducts. All efforts OF the Farm Board
10 cope with the situation appear
TO have been unayiallng SO far as
the major CONN iities, wheat and
cotton, are concerned.
To an observer who has main
tanned close -ontact with the farm
SITUATE and the efforts & the
Farm Board, ii would appear that
much Of this criticism is undeserved.
Millions Of dollars have been in
vested by the board in the effort
to stem the wheat decline, but v "
effort to stabilize the market has
been met by further reduction In
foreign orders and consequent de-
clining prizes.
Prices Fixed
No cotton Sterilization program
has Deen announced, ano that CON-
modify mas reacted the same as
wheat. The tact that American
prices on these commodities ere
fixed by foreign demand anO the
surplus owe domestic consumption
has neVe been better exempA4lea
than IN recent months, and ap-
parently the Farm Board is power
less TO control or remedy this stu
alton.
One criticism, apparently well
merited, now being directed toward
the farm board, IS the fact that
the Board failed to warn congress
OF the menace to agriculture con-
tanned in the excessive rates OF the
Hawley-Smoot tariff bill. That the
board realized that foreign markets
controlled the price was evidenced
by their vigorous campaign re-
duce production OF the principal
farm products The board also was
cognizant Of the fact that those
countries proviG the principal
outlets for the plus agric .-.ural
production Of the United States
would adopt retaliatory policies i
the excessive industrial rates Of the
Hawley- Smoot BIZ was enacted r.
fact, fo-Esnths 6eioI5 tne final
[5TSsage Of the bill foreign resent
ment was manifested IN the con-
stantly decreasing orders for wheat,
cotton and other staple products.
Acreage Cut
In the industrial sections the
acreage reduction recommendations
OF the Farm board also are sub
jected to sharp criticism. Indus
trialists call attention to til fact
that if production is limited 70 the
domestic demand exports Of agri-
cultural products Will cas- as Will
also the inflow OF a great volume
of new wealth, amounting 20 ap-
proximately two tillion dollars an
nually. This. they assert, will mate
rally reduce the purchasing power
Of the American public, resulting
in slowing down industry. increas-
ing unemployment and demoral-I-
ing domestic markets for both agri-
culture and industry.
The industrialists were not great
lv perturbed Owe this situation
when they were clamOring for Con-
cress to increase the tariff rates
upon their products. They main
tanned that future prosperity de-
pended upon the inclusion o. these
excessive rates In the tariff bill:
that threats Of foreign -eprisal we're
merely gestures: and anyway. Con-
gress should give no led 70 what
the foreign customers OF American
farmers had TO say about the tariff
bill.
Tariff Bill Blamed
The opinion prevails among farm
leaders in Washington that the
tariff bill has created a situation
such as the proponents Of the
high rates never anticipated Il Is
obvious that agriculture cannot
prosper with It's foreign markets
oFETcrAT STATEMENT or Fl