Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-30
HYDE ANSWERS
B FARM7A|D CRITICS
Secretary's Vigorous Defense
CIimaxes Series of Attacks
on U. S. Policies.
Continued From First Page.)

| How many OF you, Mr. LeBBe dSkco,
will match dollar for dollar my sub
zation into effect? 1t Is not too late.
The problem is still to be solved"
After no one answered, the Farm
Board chairman said he would be glad
to hold open his offer and discuss 1t
with any Of those interested at later
time.
Assails Failure to Act.
Previously the failure of the Cham
Der of Commerce Ito take any con-
structive action to improve the farm
situation after voting overwhelmingly
In 1928 in favor Of the principle OF CO.
operative marketing" had been assailed
by Chairman Legge.
The Farm Board chairman was cut
spoken in his criticism of bankers and
business men who met the crisis in the
half billion dollars, but failed to vol
unteer any aid when the commodities
market faced like crisis" although by
doing so, he said, "they would have per-
| formed as important If not a more val
liable service to the country than saw
ing the stock market"
Instead" Legge continued, "there
was criticism of the Farm Board for
giving necessary assistance that could
not be had from any other source"
] Millett Urges Repeal.
An entirely different view of the
policies of the Farm Board and the
act which created it was presented by
Mr.. Millett. who attacked its policies
as part of "a fantastic dream Of stabil-
ization" and urged the repeal Of the
act.
The law creating the board, Millett
challenged violates in its intent and
purpose "the sound and proved rule Of
upon the loser" This he termed an
ever present controlling factor tending
to promote efficiency.
Mr. Millett declared that the men in
| the great marketing and distributing
centerS of the country with their enor-
nous investments of capital properly
| fear the workings Of this act"
| 1T is evident in the long. rum" he
continued. that they cannot compete
with their Government, which they sup
port and supply with funds through
taxes-which taxes are used to their
undoing."
The final fight on the Farm Board
| will come tomorrow when the cham
Der Is called upon to take official ac-
| ton on its policies as embodied in the
report from the resolution committee.
MlQulc WcSb grain 0CdlCLo dtICLlllIIb
the convention are back Of the fight
against the board.
In his defense Of the board, Chair
man Legge declared Congress definitely
| had committed the country to the
principle of cooperative marketing of
farm products and that the agricul-
tural marketing act supplies the means
necessary to help the farmed help him.
self out of his major economic diff
culties. 1.-THE Farm Board is going to
give him every assistance permitted by
law" he told the chamber.
Legge Answers Sharply.
"I 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 clear and perhaps the best
that, If this be true and you really do
know so much about it, the situation
presents a severe indictment of the or
ganization, which having full informa-
ton Of the facts, has made so little
effort to remedy the situation.
Certainly, none Of you have seen any
evidence of constructive action on the
part of the Chamber of Commerce or
any of its affiliated organizations, with
the doubtful exception OF taking
referendum two years ago, looking to
remedy for and permanent improve
ment in the situation which your own
investigators had warned required sub
stantial assistance, If not from you,
then from your Government"
Chairman Legge cited the report
made in 1927 by the Nagel commission
appointed by the chamber and the Ma
tional Industrial Conference Board
which recommended agricultural sta
bilizing Through corporations financed
Jointly by farmers co-operatives, private
business interests and the Federal Gov
eminent" He also reminded the cham
Der that in 1928 it had gone on record
in favor Of cooperative principles by a
vote of member associations of 2,8l6 to
lit.
In his attack on the Farm Board,
Mr.. Millett said he assumed through
out his address "the inefficiency OF the
Government operation OF business IN
this country" He described the func-
lions Of the Farm Board as applied to
agriculture as practically limitless."
The board becomes, he charged, 1.-The
advisor, the banker, the builder, buyer
and marketer for agriculture, and 1t
may well become finally the dictator"
Reduction Policy Is Hit.
The crop reduction policy of the Farm
Board was repeatedly assailed by the
Denver banker. He asserted it was
| a recognition by the board Of the
doctrine of scarcity" which would
make combination effective through the
control of production. This policy of
| decreased production, he claimed, wiz
tually nullifes the agricultural f1nanc-
ing acts and the work OF the Depart
ment of Agriculture for the last half
century"
Mr.. Millett praised the policies Of
the Department of Agriculture during
this 50-year period, declaring its efforts
to increase production was aimed at
reducing the unit cost of production.
What a glaring inconsistency" he
said, ito set up at the cost OF the tax
payers one set of Government institu-
lions to increase agricultural production,
and lessen its cost, and then turn
around set up another galaxy of Gov
eminent institutions to increase the
| price of the thereby created surplus and
to limit its production"
The Denver banker asserted that
| what the business interests need is mot
more combination, including farmers,
but less interference with the law of
economic supply and demand, function
ing through price"
He prefaced his attack on Govern
| ment policies with a reminder that
he did not wish to criticize the indi-
| vidual members of the Farm Board
| "They have in no way" he assured,
| gone beyond the provisions of the act
under which their organization was
| created"
Veteran Condemns Act.
| The Secretary of Agriculture was fol-
| lowed by Henry G. veteran, president
|