Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-20

|
| Congress fer the revival of prosperity
to the whole people. Unless Congress;
is called In extra session at an early
date there VIII be little chance for any
substantial accomplishment. The ma
tional conventions will be coming on
and every proposition will take a politi-
cal color and be considered more for It's
political effect than for its genuine
merits. OF course, do not believe that
these great questions can all be solved
in any one session of Congress. big
tionary reorganization. But something
substantial can be accomplished If Cen
gress is convened in October.
Two problems that demand immediate
attention and lay the fundation for
restoring prosperity are:
l. The agricultural problem, and
2. The problem of unemployment.
There are two immediate phases of
the agricultural prcblem:
/. The handling of the exportable
surplus, and
2. The marketing of the home de-
mand.
At present agriculture Is forced to
sell its surplus in the domestic market
That floods the market, breaks down
its tariff protection; the surplus goes
over into the free trade markets of the
world, is sold in competition with all
the world, the price fixed by that sale
cabled back to the exchanges in the
United States and then the whole price
in the home markets fixed by the sale Of
this surplus in these free trade markets
Of the world.
Agriculture Stands Alone.
Agriculture is the only American BUSH
ness In this situation. Every other
business that has an exportable surplus
is financed and removed-separates and
segregates its surplus from the domes-
tic market. It is then sent abroad and
sold to the best advantage in the best
market that can be found The same
This can be done by increasing the re-
volving fund of the Farm Board 1900
million dollars or more and then give
it authority to pay losses, If any are
finally sustained in disposing of the
surplus in foreign markets, either by q
debenture from the United States
Treasury or an equalization fee tax
upon the farmers themselves. This Is
exactly what big business" is doing
with its SURPRISES now. It is even using
the deposits of the farmers themselves
in the banking systems of the country
for this purpose, while the funds
allowed to the Farm Board are wholly
inadequate To accomplish the same pur-
pose for the farmers themselves. There
must be no trifling with this surplus.
1t must all be removed from the domes-
tic market and If this is done at a
price up to the top of the tariff rates
above the world market the price of
the farmers whole product will rise to
the same level. On an average there is
only about 10 per cent of farm products
that are exportable. 1t Is about so per
cent of cotton, 20 per cent Of wheat,
oats, and on an average less than 10
per cent In series Of years. This is
small portion of the production to
control the price fixing; but, neverthe-
less, that Is what it is doing at the
present time and has been doing these
many years. With such small pro-
portion for export farmers can well
afford to pay the loss upon the surplus
II they can get q cost of production
price and cooperative profit upon the
80 per cent which Is used at home.
II is too late to do much for wheat
this year, but corn, oats, live stock
products and cotton can still be pro-
tected In this way II Congress should
meet In october.
No One FavOrs Dole.
If this were done for agriculture 1t
would in turn start many wheels Of in
dustry and thus meet part of the ques-
tion of unemployment. Agriculture
was stricken down in 1920. It has
stayed down ever since. It represents
more than one-third of the buying
power of the American people. 1t can
not BE- stricken down and its credit de-
stroyed as has been done for the last
- low
ment and general depression. There
fore agriculture is basic IN this stu
alton and should receive first attention
from the Government Of the United
States. do not think this would cor
rect all of the unemployment, and /
think 1t would require at least $1,000
0O0, 900 more to start public works and
provide jobs for the rest Of the $780,
900 who are now unable to get them.
Nobody believes in the dole. In the
language of another: ct Is twice cursed
it hardens him that gives and softens
him that takes. 1t does more harm to
makes them willing to be exploited. 1t
breeds slsvishness, which Is moral
suicide"
What men want is not charity, but a
fair chance to earn their own living.
However, we will find many men, women
and children hungry this Winter. They
must be fed. The Treasury OF the
United States must not be exempt. 1t
is constantly replenished by taxes upon
the extortionate profits of the great
capitalists who discharge their men to
protect these same profits. Our civiliza-
ton and our Government owe these
men these Jobs. They have failed in
their duty, therefore the starving must
be fed for emergency relief regardless OF
offensive names or processes.
There Is a special situation as TO
the unemployed Of the World War, of
whom there are 100000. We have by
law admitted a debt to them in the
form of adjusted compensation and
postponed the payment of it TO 1915.
This debt should be paid now, and they
should not be sent out with their tin
cups begging Of the Red Cross or any
other charitable institution.
Surplus Of Everything.
If these temporary things were done
in an early session we might have some
time to consider a permanent reorgani-
cation and remedy. Since 1922 and ur
| to the depression our national income
was about $4,000, zoo, 900 a year. This
means $3.50 for each man, woman ano
child In the United States and about
S3,750 for each family Of FIVE. This was
enough income so that we need have nc
depression in the price of farm values
no 5000, 900 workers unemployed II this
income had been properly distributed
! We have produced enough in the United
| States. We have a surplus OF every
thing, while men are starving and home
! less. Our whole trouble is in distribu.
ton. We spent about "a or IS billion:
Of this for living expenses. operating
expenses of industries. taxes and waste
of competition. This still leaves IS OIL
| Is billion dollars each year as a me-
national income, and that represents
the wealth increase of our country. L
all of this wealth increase had been dis.
tributed to capital in such distributor
the return Of capital would have beer
I 49, A 49, nAA that a. 81