Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-01
FARM BOARD SEEKS
NEW METHODS FOR
BOLSTER|NG PRICES
Members Confer After Flat
Refusal to Purchase
More Cotton.
FARMERS AND TRADERS
ASK COTTON BE HELD
q. S. Supply Held Market Menace.
Williams Hints Formulation
of Another Relief Plan.

For the second successive day men,
bers Of the Cotton Advisory Committee
met today with Carl Williams, Farm
Board member for cotton, to discuss the
many problems confronting producers
and handlers of the new crop.
The announcement yesterday that the
board was not considering the pur-
chase of any more cotton followed
conference between Williams and men,
bers of the Advisory Committee, which
gives the board the benefit of its knowl-
edge of the cotton industry when called
upon.
There was no disposition at the Farm
Board. however, to connect the decision
to buy no more cotton with the meet
ing between Williams and committee
members.
Nav Have New Plan.
In stating that the board had aban-
doned sterilization operation because
of continued overproduction Williams
said the board was still considering
various plans to help the situation and
that it might have something to say
later on"
Cotton FARMERS anu IldNC AHtSASeNS
have urged the board to announce thai
it would not sell any of the 300 900
bales held by the sterilization corpora
ton this year. Cotton men have char
acterized this cotton as a menace 10
the market. because Of the uncertainty
as to its disposition.
Asserting that for two years the board
had cushioned the American farmer,
particularly the raisers OF cotton ana
wheat, against price declines That nave
affected other commodities ana lnauS-
tries" williams said the board mas
discovered" that purchasing Of the COM
modities for price bolstering purposes
sis not the remedy for the situation.
Boards Efforts Futile.
Williams pulled thoughtfully on a
cigarette as he made the announce
ment to newspaper men. He supple
mented it with a Studiously phrasea
statement that the boards Sterilization
operations in wheat and cotton were
futile in the face OF continued over
production.
From cotton, he turned to wheat
with the comment that the estimated
- per cent reduction in the Winter
wheat acreage was not enough
AS means of further reducing the
wheat acreage, Williams suggested that
farmers living below the belt OF 25-lnch
rainfall let half of their land lie idle
this Fall.
X, said Summer tillage" was prac-
ticed to a considerable extent now be-
low the 25-inch belt. adding that sum
mer tillage" was cultvating the SOIL
and keeping it free of weeds without
planting it to any crop.
Draws Rainfall Line.
Williams said portions of Kansas and
the Dakotas. the Texas panhandle, New
Mexico. Colorado, Wyoming and Mon
tana we're below the rainfall belt ne
mentioned. ,
The Qualification of a phase OF the
cotton situation came after conferences
with Southern Senators last week and
followed Immediately three-hour dis
Cussion with members OF the Cotton
Advisory Committee.
This group. provided for by the same
law which set up the board itself. came
here today in response to call from
Williams.
He said at the beginning of his press
interview that it was only one OF the
committees regular meetings" but later
added that various relief plans had been
discussed.
The committee members included
Bradford Knapp, chairman, Of Auburn,
Ala: Harry L. Bailey of New York. U. B.
Blalock. president of the American Cot
ton Cooperative Association, Raleigh
N. c.; A. H. Stone, vice president OF the
Staple Cotton Cooperative Association.
Greenwood. Miss. and A. E. KobS of
the Oklaho IA Cotton Growers Associa-
ton.
In support OF his assertion that the
estimated II per cent reduction in Win
ter wheat acreage was insufficient, Will
liams said the crop this year was esti-
mated by the Agricultural Department
at 94.0OO.000 bushels and the carry
over was placed at 100000 900 bushels.
That is 1.213.000000 bushels Of
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