The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-03-18
NEA Service Wrlter

Washingt6n.--It's no wonder that
 the republican national committee
 has organized special board of
 strategy to deal with the farmers. It's no wonder that Alex Legge threw up his hands, resigned the
 chairmansbip of the farm board and
 went home.
 It's no wonder that the committee on the progressive conference, lgtressing the need for revival of agri- culture, spent long time and much thought on selection of chairman | of the round-table on the farm problem, deciding only at the last
 moment.
 And 1t will be no great surprise If the next congress doesn't hear
 some louder holIering about farm relief than ever has been heard be- fore.
 If there has been any danger of a political revolt fin the farming re- gions since the days of Populisni and the first Bryan campaign, now would seem to be the time. If there is such q thing us more than vocal
 resentment from farmers who arc BettinB " IT tHc HcSh " 1H ~hpiDSS-
 dented degree. the fact now threat ems proof.
 Farm Prices Sag
 The election of democratic sena-
 tors fin such states as Kansas and
 south Dakota last fall may turn out to be significant, even though It
 has long been the custom here to believe that. farmers, when prcsi-
 dential elections come, are always against change.
 Anyway, 1t made q neat point for the progrcssivcs and their round- table for agriculture that on the middle of last month the general level of farm prices on the farm, after nearly two years of the ad- ministrati0nss federal farm board. had dropped to 90 per cent of pre- war prices as compared to what was considered the pretty bad fig- ure of 131 per cent in February, l1030. The figure for February, i031, as the department of agri- culture admitted, was the lowest tn the 21 years since 1t had begun to keep such figures.
 With about 10 per cent of the wheat crop left on the farms. ans other extraordinary statistic, and
 wheat prices down in the depths. there was no public waiiing at Legge's departure even If one cons ceded that he had done the farni- CTS q lot more good than harm. The one bright spot for the farm CT who can afford. what with drought, low prices and SO on, to | hire help. this year is that farm
 wages will be way down, too. IL lappears that for the spring plant ling senson there will be about 1OA farm laborcrs available for every
 100 Jobs--another government sta
 tistic--and that's a break for the ordinary farmer no matter now tough it is on the extra G4. Follows Same Policies l The only discernible difference, thus far, that the exchange of MT lLeRge for James c. stone. the new farm board chairman, is likely to make is that Mir stone VII provide liess colorfui newspaper copy and will tell fewer people where to go. Mir Stone says the same policies will be preserved. He admits-the l first admission of the kind from lthc board---that past opcrations VIII result in losses. But the losses, he laaserts. will be small compared with inc benefits to agriculture and the country. There doesn't seem to bc lany question about the losses. The board bought about 6O,0OO.00O bushels. of wheat at around $l12 q lbushel and wheat is now selling for
 March delivery at around " cents.