The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-03-17
FRIDAY. MARCH Il. 1888
ON THE FARM FRONT

President Roosevelt moves so rapidly in his at
tack on inherited national problems that the cheer
ing public hardly can keep up with him. One day
it is bank reform the next day it is more revenue
through legalizing light beer, and now it is farm
relief
Almost every one understands the significance OF
the bank and beer moves, but probably some city
jewellers will wonder why all the haste for the farm
ers-after all, the farmers are a minority Of the
population and the rest of the country is in pretty
bad way.
Fortunately the President does not take that
attitude He knows, as every one who has studied
the problem knows, that there will be no pros
perity for the cities until national purchasing
power is restored and that purchasing power
depends upon the farmers having money to spend.
So the President proposes to help the entire
country by first helping the long-sutfering farmer
That is good economics. Business men get the
point as witness the efforts of the United States
Chamber of Commerce during the last few months
in behalf of farm relief
There are remarkable things about the Roose-
welt farm program besides speed though speed is
Essential to help the 1888 crops In addition to speed
,the President brings to this problem long study,
the aid of experts and broad scientific attitude
His campaign speeches showed that he had given
much thought to the subject. His aids, including
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, Assistant Secre-
tary TugweII, Dr. Mordecai Ezekial Farm Board
Chairman Mongenthau and DR.. w. l. Myers, are
experts of the highest type.
The President attacks the problem along three
broad fronts: The unbearable mortgage burden, the
destruction of foreign markets by trade barriers and
world depression, and the overproduction-or under
consumption-of farm products.
The campaign on the mortgage front is in prep
aration On the foreign front special ambassador,
Norman H. Davis, is being sent abroad to negotiate
with other governments regarding control of pro-
duction trade barriers, and the world economic
conference
The immediate bill is the attack the third
front to limit domestic production by leasing and
taking out of production excessive acreage and to
raise the needed funds and increase prices to
pre-war parity with industry by tax on professors
such as millers and others.
The bill combines parts of the older domestic
allotment, leasing and cotton option contract plans
we do not know what this will work.
More significant than the details of the plan
which may or may not works. the Presidents SCI
entihc and experimental attitude toward it, In
stead of presenting it in the conventional cureau
manner Mr. Roosevelt in his special message to
congress says:
IT tell you frankly that it is and untrod
path but tell you with equal frankness that an I'M
precedented conditions calls for the trial of new
means to rescue agriculture.
IF fair administrative trial of it Is made and
1t does not produce the hoped-for results, shall be
the first to acknowledge it and advise you"
This is an excellent approach to almost any
problem of government.