Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22
BY EVELYN TRENT.
I|O attempt any wheat produc-
90 ton for export in the United

w ally WIlcdb pIOuuC-
ton for export in the United
States is foolish. There is
i no Justification and no hope
for American farmers to pro-
duce more wheat than can be con-
Sumed here"
Thus does Alexander Leggs, whose re-
tirement from the Craftsmanship OF the
Federal Farm Board on March 4 next
has just been announced, dismiss the
possibilities of raising wheat for export
in this country. in the face of steadily
increasing production on the part Of
other countries, coupled with the con-
tinued decline of wheat prices on the
world market.
In an interview before the news Of
his retirement was made public, Mr..
Legge discussed the outlook for Ameri-
can agriculture in the light OF prevail
ing economic conditions.
When it is realized that the United
States has been an important wheat ex-
porting country since 1870, and that
wheat to the value of Sill 100000 and
wheat flour valued at more than $780,
100000 were exported by American
farmers in 1929, the full import of Mr..
Legge's statement may be grasped in
its bearing on the future OF wheat pro-
duction here.
1t means the scaling down of Ameri-
large-scale production with an export
able surplus of 200,000,000 bushels, to
q domestic consumption level, with
consequent loss to the wheat growing
industry in this country.
Wheat Production Rises.
The increase in world wheat produc-
ton for 1880, exclusive of Russia and
China, Is given as per cent over that
of 1929, according to Department Of
Commerce figures. Russian production
for last year is estimated by the United
States Department of Agriculture at
1000, 900 900 bushels, equal to the larg-
est pre-war crop harvested here.
Canada has an estimated wheat sur
plus for export this year of 300,000,000
bushels, and there are even larger sur
pluses in Argentina and Australia. More
than 200 900 900 bushels of wheat was
collected by Russia for export in 1890
1881, of which more than half has al
ready been thrown on the world market,
as compared with an export of less than
100000 bushels of wheat in 1929.
With more than 100,000,000 bushels
Of surplus wheat in the hands of the
Grain Sterilization Corporation, set up
by American grain co-operatives and
authorized by the Federal Farm Board
to engage in an effort to stabilize the
price of wheat in this country, the agri-
cultural outlook for the coming year
seems fraught with many and difficult
problems of readjustment.
Dumping Found DemOraIizing.
Chief among the causes for the pre-
vailing agricultural depression in this
country and abroad, according to Mr..
Legge. is the reaction brought about by
postwar conditions.
Conditions are worse in other coun-
tries than here" said Mr.. Legge. They
are acute in few agricultural products
because of severe overproduction and
lack of attention to the market con-
sumner. This statement is applicable
only to limited number of commodi-
ties, and not to agriculture in general"
Ask what part the dumping of surplus
agricultural products by foreign coun-
tries on the world market has played in
bringing about the present crisis, Mr..
Legge replied that such activities on
the part of Russia last Fall had played
major part in demoralizing wheat
prices in the European markets and
that emergency steps had been taken
by the Farm Board to prevent a similar
decline in the American market. He
rejected all suggestions put forward to
dispose Of this country's surplus in the
world market at prices below the do
mestic level, saying that such measures
would be regarded by importing coun-
tries as dumping.
Universal Rule Applied.
Dumping Is antagonistic to the laws,
rules and regulations Of practically
every country on EARTH" said Mr.. Legge.
I'VE prohibit 1t and so do other nations,
some in the form of anti-subsidy laws,
applicable to the farmer or manufac-
turer. Wherever government aid is ex-
tended to the export part of a product,
It Is called substituting, and nearly everv
country has legislation prohibiting Just
that
The rule applied here is the same as
everywhere else: Is the price at which a
commodity is sold abroad lower than in
the country of origin?
sterilization efforts are being made
In wheat and cotton, so far as this
board Is concerned, whereby substantial
quantities Of both are being taken of