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

once did see sugar. I saw no butter.
Twice l saw milk. In only one case
DID l find anything approaching q
Christmas dinner I found that six
families had received Red Cross as
s1sCance and one Of these had shared
its provisions with another family"
Significant and typical, according to
those who have spent months in init
mate touch with this situation, which
only now has become critical because of
an almost unprecedentedly mild VIM
ter, is Mr.. Evans comment on his visit
to a plantation owner Christmas day.
"A planter told me-" he reported,
that his Sc families could not receive
any assistance from him. With a $75,-
600 mortgage on his property, he was
shut OF at the bank and COULDN'T buy
another dollars worth. After he sold
his crop he found 1t cost him $4,000
more than he realized on it. The 56
families owe him $4,000 for supplies.
He had carried them until three weeks
ago"
l37 Banks Have Closed.
Normally the hundreds Of landown-
ers who lease out land to lessees-or
troopers" as they are called down
here-would extend credit to these ten.
ants; normally country merchants
HOdAO ACCP AAOAfAOuhl ldEIIlcIS III sup
plies, counting on next years crop TO
meet the bills, and normally the banks
would supply the credit to keep the
merchants stocked in goods and would
provide the farmer with credit to finance
his new crop. Normally, too the State
would set up financial machinery in an
emergency to aid where the banks could
not function.
But in the past four months 1877 Ar
kansas banks have closed partly due
to 10-cent cotton, which costs over Is
number have reopened, but all banks
now are loaded with paper and lend
most conservatively. Besides, the State
government, with 1880 revenue down
SO per cent from 1929 and with 1881
revenue expected to show a sharp fur
ther shrinkage, finds itself with mil
lions in State funds tied up in closed
banks: That explains why Gov. Harvey
Parnell advises that the Legislature,
meeting next Monday, will be unable to
extend State aid TO the drought-stricken
farmers.
AS it Is there is no cause for alarm
according to all responsible officials.
The Red Cross is feeding hungry fami-
lies who make known their needs. The
Federal Government Is preparing to
make loans to farmers for seed and
live stock feed In addition there is a
plan now under consideration, not yet
ready for announcement, which would
make millions in credit available
through the banking system.
The State is resentful of insinuations
made In the House of Representatives
that Reds" are responsible for the
troubles here. T. Roy Reid, Federal
State agriculture extension director, said
there was no such organization IN Ar
kansas as the United Farmers League
Of America, which had BEEN described
as active here along radical lines. Those
who know the State best describe il as
among the conservative strongholds OF
the Nation. Its voters in November,
even with their other problems, voted
Overwhelmingly to require the daily
reading Of the Bible, without comment,
in every school room of every publicly
supported educational institution in the
State.
Attributed TO Talk.
The demonstration at England, Ark,
and activity in some other centers, Is
found upon investigation to be due to
the inalienable right of an American
citizen to talk. There is no evidence Of
an organized attempt to create trouble
of any kind. as, in every other farming
section in the country, the farmers come
to town on Saturday. They talk over
their troubles in groups. A little noisy
conversation will attract others. Before
long a stable gathering is natural
The farmers of Arkansas are native
Americans Of old stock. Only one
eighth of per cent of the population
is foreign-born. When it was suggested
that some of the incidents might have
been caused by the colored population
the suggestion brought this immediate
| retort:
Our Arkansas Negroes do not DEM
onstrate."
The 60-year-old conservative Ar
kansas Democrat, published at Little
Rock, in concluding an editorial sum-
mary of the existing situation, said
Wednesday:
Arkansas is not alone in asking for
help. Virtually every Southern State
has made similar appeals. Our own
people are carrying on with commend
able fortitude, but it is idle to talk of
them bearing the entire burden. Call
ing for aid Is not beggary. It is merely
demanding that to which we are en-
titled in dversity-temporary assist
ance. Tornado, flood and fire suf-
ferers In ether States have done like
wise on innumerable occasions and
nothing was said of 'unfavorable pub
lefty"
Needs All Available Help.
The fact that Spring for this section
Is only three months away -narrowS the
problem Spring WIN bring Eerly crops
land quick recovery WIN follow 81