The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-24
Legge Goes Back to His Old Job


Alexander Legge is going back to the international
Harvester company, which granted him a sabbatical year
to become chairman Of the federal farm board. His
service with the new government agency began July l,
1929. It was stated at the time that the international
Harvester company was loaning MI. Legges service to
the government for one year only. but when he retires
on the 4th of March he will have served 20 months.
1t has been a stormy time for Mr.. Legge. When he
gets his release he will doubtless feel like the man who
was rescued after holding a bear by the tail to keep
from getting chewed up.
1t is too early to say how Mr.. Legge,s services will be
finally appraised. 1t is safe to assume that he is leaving
the board with a feeling Of disappointment, believing
the country has adjudged his efforts a failure. His
friends assert, however. that while Mr.. Legge led his
forces into an unknown wilderness and lost a battle, the
campaign he started is yet to be fought.
When Mr.. Legge and his associates Of the farm board
undertook their new and untried tasks, they could not
foresee all Of the tremendous forces that would be ar
rayed against them. These were a highly organized and
very resourceful domestic grain trade; the opposition Of
foreign export customers, who saw in the new American
board an attempt to raise the prices Of farm conmod-
tiles at their expense; and most potent Of all, the forces
of nature, which no man can foresee or control.
The farm board had no established policy to begir
with, but after a year or more Of earnest effort ant
experimentation, a set OF basic principles were formed
which may be summarized under the following five heads:
First-To eliminate manipulation Of prices on the
organized exchanges.
Second-To return the best possible prices to
farmers through cooperative marketing.
Third-To stabilize prices by control Of surplus
production.
Fourth-To give producers more direct control
over the disposal Of their products.
Fifth-To give the producers the benefit Of more
effective business organization.
Opponents of the farm board started to pull the teeth
Of that young entity even before 1t had passed through
the narrowing experience Of teething, and the attacks are
still continuing. At st. Paul last week, Prof. James E
Boyle Of Harvard university suggested that the farmer.
keep their farm board, but deprive 1t entirely Of it,
functions Of merchant, speculator and banker"
1t is rumored that a reorganization Of the farm board
is under way and it is quite possible that in the future
some Of its practices, If not its powers, will be restricted
James c. Stone is a prob >ale nominee for the chair.
manship, while c. 3. Denman may be chosen vtce-chair'
man. 1t is believed that many of the present member.
will retire from the board.
Before bidding goodby to Alexander Legge as chair.
man Of the board, 1t is but fair that the people shoule
accord him due honor for his courageous efforts to estab'
lish a new agricultural marketing system His speech
in answer to President Butterworth Of the Nationa
Chamber Of Commerce is pointed to by his friends As
landmark in agricultural progress.
Butterworth, it will be remembered, issued q state
ment approving the present grain marketing system II
every particular. Chairman Legges answering speech
was a direct challenge, in which he told the world tina
q new era for agriculture was in the making.
Willsthe rough and stony ground broken by Chairman
.Legge and his associates bear an unexpected harvest O
good results? We are living In an age Of rapid change
and the unexpected IS always happening.
Probably the greatest tribute Legge ever Will receiv
and one Of the greatest ever paid to any American is tn
fact that, after 20 months Of not too successful effort
the farmers of America have not lost confidence in him.
Doubtful at first because OF his connection with
great industrial organization, they watched Legge taxi
hold Of his job and after a short time they were con
WINGED of both his ability and his sincerity of purpose
Their respect in spite of the calumny heaped upon hin
is a tribute to any man.