Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-02
FARM RELIEF DEAD,
WRITER DECLARES
Industrial Communities in Too
Great Need of Help to
Aid Wheat Belt.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

The decision Of the Federal Farm
Board to stop buying wheat in order
to stabilize the price is absolute and
final. That fact raises a political
problem about which opinion is just
forming.
The decision to stop buying wheat
is final for two reasons. One is that
the Farm Board is convinced the prac-
tice should not be continued. The
other is that the coming Congress and
no Congress in the near future will
appropriate money for this purpose. In
the House more Representatives come
from Eastern and other wheat-eating
city constituencies than from wheat
producing agricultural ones.
Conditions Reversed.
Eastern Congressman were willing
two years ago to vote money that
would keep the price of wheat high,
though with some reluctance, because
at that time farmers were in distress
while Eastern cities and industrial
communities were riding high in pros
perity. They did it in the spirit Of
gift to a conspicuously depressed IN
duStry. Now, however, the cities and
industrial districts are in distress. They
are acutely interested in having food
cheap. Eastern and city Congress
men, without regard to party, will now
resist any form Of farm relief tending
to make food dearer.
This condition applies with almost
equal strength to the two newly re-
Nved proposals for farm relief One is
the debenture plan. The other Is the
equalization fee. The purpose Of both,
speaking broadly, Is to keep the price
of wheat high in America while selling
il at q low price abroad. Both these
plans are now brought forward by poll
ticians appealing to farm constituent
cies. Both have been enacted by Con-.
gresS in the past, but have been killed
by Presidents vetoes.
The willingness of Congress, especial
" the House, to pass these measures
few years ago was due to the same
spirit Of eaSy-going generosity in time
Of prosperity. Today 1t Is most I'M
likely that either the debenture plan
or the equalization fee could get
majority in the House Of Representa-
lives.
Some Democratic leaders might be
willing to advocate the debenture plan
OF the sterilization fee, or both, as q
means Of putting upon the Republican
President the odium of vetoing them.
It Is decidedly doubtful, however, If
Democrats or any members represent
ing Eastern and city constituencies
would now vote for either Of these
plans in sufficient numbers to provide o
majority.
For yet another reason neither the
debenture plan nor the equalization fee
can now be put in practice. Both are,
In effect, plans for dumping the ex-
portable surplus of American wheat on
foreign markets. Foreign nations have
lately become sensitive about permitting
this kind Of dumping, and are finding
ways of making it impossible. Foreign
nations will do what our own Govern
ment has recently done about the
dumping Of European matches on our
markets. Against this practice our
Government has, within two weeks, is
sued an anti-dumping order.
Half Hearted Revival
Most politicians are wen aware Of
the new conditions that make the de-
benture plan certainly impossible and
the equalization fee probably so. Their
revival Of the two ideas is noticeably
half hearted. Some Senators from ag-
ricultural States may introduce the
measures for the sake Of the effect on
the local sentiment Of their farming
constituencies. It Is certain, however,
they will never be put into effect.
The one form Of farm relief left
which Is now being operated and which
Is having some success Is the encour-
agemcnt and organization by the Fed
eral Farm Board of cooperative mar
keting. This constitutes the major part
Of the Farm Boards functioning, and 1t
will 60 on. It's Importance has only
been obscured by the boards more spec
tacular effort to sustain the price Of
wheat by direct purchases
In any event, the discussion now rife
about the debenture plan and the
equalization fee Is misleading. Those
who rely upon either scheme going into
cuts any figure In the coming Congress,
It viii be only as Q political gesture or
goiitical ammunition