Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-05

adjustment in production becomes
| equitable and easy to attain.
More has been said about wheat
| than any other farm crop, but the fact
Is that overproduction Of any commod-
ity Is not In the best interests of the
farmer. A check-back Of market re-
turns as far as there are any records
Of them shows that In nearly everv case
the largest return to the farmer is for
medium or slightly under crop. Within
recent years we had the illustration of
the potato growers increasing the Yield
142,O0O,OO0 bushels and receiving for
the crop $242, 900. 900 less than for the
smaller yield Of the year previous. The
comparatively small corn crop of 1924
brought the farmers $500 600, OOO~gnore
than they got for the 500 600. 600
bushels larger crop the following year.
In 1923 cotton growers of the South got
nearly $500, 000, 900 more than they re-
ceived three years later for nearly dou-
bic the production.
In the suggestion that more atten-
ton be paid to a situation that is gen.
orally reflected In heavy inventories or
carry-overs for previous years, we are
only proposing the application to agri-
culture of the fundamental principles
that must be used by any industrial or
gani2ation to prosper. The fact that
the larger industries have learned to
watch this closely has perhaps had
more to do with their better financial
return than any other feature Of their
business.
THE agricultural marketing act,
which the Farm Board Is administer
ing, is the result of nearly 10 years of
discussion and consideration in Con-
gresS and out. 1t recognizes that there
is a farm problem and as a solution
commits this country definitely to the
principles Of cooperation. The avowed
purpose Is to place the industry of
agriculture on a basis of economic
equality with other industries. 1t pro-
vides Government assistance that will
enable farmers acting collectively to
control the production and marketing
OF their crops. Organization is the
keynote. Assistance is not to be ex-
tended directly to individual farmers,
but to them through their cooperative
organizations.
Prepared to Aid in Work.
eve are prepared to assist farmers In
organizing along sound lines the CO.
operative associations necessary to Sc
cure for them the best results that mar
ket conditions will justify. When so
organized we can assist them in financ-
ing such organizations. In collabora-
ton with the Department of Agricul-
ture we can supply the best informa-
ton available as to market outlook and
prospects and assist co-operatives in
providing proper facilities for the ware
housing and handling of any agricul-
tural commodity. You will notice that
in all these operations I say we can
assist. The start must be made by
the farmers themselves. We haven't
any power to compel them to do any,
thing. We don't want any such au-
thority and we wouldn't use it If we
had it.
Organized to q degree where farm
ers can exert the same Judgment in
adjusting production to the consuming
demand, both as to quality and guam
tity, and so regulate the flow of their
produce that the action of one may
not be destroying the market for others,
it seems to me that agriculture's posi-
bilities In creating q stable condition
are better than those Of any other class
OF manufacturers for the simple reason
that in times of business depression,
such as we are now experiencing, con-
sumers can economic to q greater ex-
tent on everything else than they can
on food. When times are hard you
continue to run the old car instead Of
buying new one; wear your clothes
little longer; you postpone contemplated
result Of lowering the volume Of some
body's business. In the case of the
industry that produces the food to
sustain life, huctuation cannot be so
great. Their customers are regular
buyers, eating three times q day and
must continue buying even when 1t is
harder for them to dig up the cost of
doing so. which leads to the conclusion
that when properly organized, the