Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-01

Cotton crop reports in the United
States and in other parts of the world
and the present condition OF the foreign
trade in this important commodity are
receiving the attention of economists.
II is believed in the United States that
it Is possible to create new uses for cot
ton to offset the production in new
foreign areas, and that science may be
sbIe TO contribute TO better results.
The request by the Texas Legislature
to Gov. Sterling to call conference of
the Governors of cotton growing States
is Endorsed by the Houston Chronicle
with the statement: The American
Cotton COOPERATIVE has just announced
a significant movement to provide better
seed cotton for farmers generally-with
o view to re-esta blishing the superiority
Of American cotton staple on the world
marketS-another movement to increase
the uses of cotton goods. and to increase
the uses of cottonseed products as a
feed for stock. If cotton produce
ton could be cut in half. the American
cotton farmer would soon be on his
feet f1na ncially Such a cut seems out
of the question in the next few years
lot n CcnGuTysOlu LyDC vi ONCI
o great area can't be uprooted in day
But effective progress seems possible
Acreage is down IL per cent this year
II it could be cut another IL per cent
next year, and still another IL per cent
in the next year or two, we would get
the American crop down to point
where 1t could be handled almost en-
tirely as q money crop by farmers who
make their living of other products.
The cotton situation" according to
the South Bend Tribune, differs APP
preciab from the wheat because more
than one-hslf of the American cotton
is exported The United States pro-
duces more than one-half of the worlds
cotton and less than 20 per cent OF the
worlds wheat. The cotton condition Is
extremely critical because domestic
consumption increased only about Is
per cent while foreign competition In
creased greatly in the last decade. The
Farm Board ascribes this largely to
deteriorat ton of American cotton quality
The board believes American cotton
growers must help themselves by I'M
proving quality, reducing production
costs. increasing soil fertility and max
ing the cotton plantstio yield enough
food for the growers families and foi
the farm animals"
MANY informed economists" states
| the Chattanooga News, think that the
time is not far away when Americs
will have no cotton export market; In
other words, the Southern farmer can
not sell any more of the fieecy staple
than will be required to care for the
| consumption here at home. Any
such reduction would. of course, COM
pel the most far-reaching readjustment
| of our Southern economic plan.
| It is an interesting fact that the Texas
| farmers raise each year only about hal
| the number Of hogs which the people
of that State consume. But they raise
millions of bales of cotton to be sole
| at bankrupt. prices to buy hogs IRON
outside the State. Reimbursement mus
come in this particular, II Texas ant
other Southern States are to surviv,
| the changing tides of the economics
| of the world"
| Emphasizing the so per cent increast
| In world consumption of cotton prod
ucts in the last 20 years, but the failure
1 of exports from this country to more
| than hold their own" the Columbus
| Ohio state Journal finds reasons VIII.
| the cotton growers have started scien
fists on the task of research, and WIN,
an organized struggle Is to be made q
protect the large interests involved
! The State Journal concludes: Cotton
grows only in the South. but the en-
| tire Nation Is interested in attempt
| to prevent a major industry from los
ing its rightful place In the work
market"
Lowe Simons, executive secretary {
the Texas Division of the Association
| for the Increased Use of Cotton,
quoted by the Fort Worth Star-Tele
| gram as stating that Texas alon
might consume 100000 additional bale
each wear IL 1t used cotton bags fc
commodities for which cotton PACK