Evening star., 1933-12-13

Tributes to the late Alexander Legge
emphasize his patriotic instincts, his
fine example as an industrialist OF in
tegrity and his courageous fight against
the depression as head Of the Federal
Farm Board There Is enthusiastic rec
ognition of his integrity and honor as
an executive of the International Har-
vester Co.
He was an example of the American
business man at his best-able, enter
prising, courageous, frank and OF hne
public spirit" says the Topeka Daily
Capital, recalling that his spirit was
more than once exhibited in giving up
his business for extended periods to
serve the Nation Referring to his
visits to Kansas 'to bring the farmers
into touch with the objects of the Farm
Board" the Capital declares: "The State
ever since has remembered him with re-
spect. 1t admired his ability, humor,
patriotism and the force OF his person.
ality. In all the revelations Of miscon-
duct in high business and finance fol-
lowing the 1929 debacle, Mr.. Legges
name was never snirched. He filled one
of the great positions in American IN
dustrialism with integrity and honor,
He was noted" according to the
Rock Island Argus, "for his ability, IN, :,
That paper AYERS that "the promotions
that came to him in the industrial
world were eminently deserved" that
"he probably knew more farmers, per-
sonally. than any other leading indus
trial executive, and his business aSso-
ciates held him in highest esteem" ;"
The Argus records that "a great cor
poration felt the impress OF his master
touch, and his services to his country
in responsible posts will long be remem-
bered." OF his public work. the Illinois
paper offers the estimate: GAS head OF
the Farm Board, Mr.. Legge tried to or
ganize farmers so they could control
their own marketing system, being op-
posed by Western grain dealers led by
Julius H. Barnes, chairman Of the board
of directors of the United States Cham
ber of Commerce. But as result OF
Mr.. Legges work the Farmers National
Grain Corporation and other organ1za-
tions were formed"
"He gave disinterested public service
in thankless task, and deserved more
appreciation than he got from those
he strove to benefit" in the opinion
of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin,
which offers the sympathetic analysis
Of his attempt to perform an important
service at the time the depression came
upon the country: THE Farm Board.
facing an emergency involving more
than the interests Of agriculture in the
chief farming States, was forced into
market operations of kind that nor
mally would not have been attempted.
The legislation creating the Farm
Board under the last administration
was based on a sound idea, that CO.
operative control of his market Is the
| fundamental remedy for the farmers
trouble. The board helped to retard
and cushion the fall Of prices, and
the much-criticized market operations
prevented at the time widespread bank
failures in the agricultural States. The
time was not propitious for its success" !"
"His sudden DEATH" AYERS the Provi-
dence Bulletin, "robs the country Of a
good and patriotic citizen, and the fall
ure Of the Federal Farm Board does
not obscure the worth Of his services
to the Government and to the Nations
farm regions" Starting from the crash
of the Stock Exchange, that paper de-
scribes his course with the statement:
"The character of the Farm Boards
policy changed. Instead OF trying to
give the farmers a slice Of the pros
perity. it turned to the job Of trying
to save them from being completely
wiped out by the steadily declining price
levels. It was as an expedient quite con-
trary to the original Hoover farm relief
plan that Mr. Legge jumped into the
wheat and cotton markets with Gov
eminent money in an attempt to sta
hilise prices. It was like trying to stop
an avalanqiM."