The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-08-25
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National Topics Interpreted II @FFfFE HHSsg
by William Bruckart MnE1$cFFT
by William Bruckart

There has not been time in recent
years that stocks of manufactured
goods in warehouses Of the country
were as low as they are now. It is a
condition known as hand-to-mouth
buying. One result of that condition
is that when a retailer, for example,
sells a couple more suits of clothes
or shoes or dresses, he is out Of those
sizes or styles. Unless he goes back
to the wholesaler Immediately and
buys requirements, he cannot make
further sales Of those particular
things. So it is with the wholesaler,
and the manufacturer has no great
stocks piled up either. If he refills
empty shelves, he has to put people
to work to do it. When he hires work
ers, the money they are paid immedi-
ately is spent because tens Of thou
sands of them have been out of jobs
and with no money to spend even for
barest necessities.
General Johnson's purpose, there
fore, is twofold. He is driving hard to
get people to buy now If they have
money with which to do it that the
cycle of business may be set in motion
full swing again and thus, IL success
full, the plan will provide jobs for
workers, profit for the dealers and
manufacturers and markets for the
producers of the raw materials. In
pleading for consumers to buy only
from establishments where the blue
eagle Of n. r. A. is displayed, Cen
eral Johnson seeks to cement the united
effort for recovery and at the same
time repay those who have made the
concessions necessary for such move
ment by turning the business to them.
With the destruction of cotton crop
surplus under way in every cotton
80, growing state, the
Wheat Acreage agricultural ad-
PROGRAM justment admins
tration has con-
centrated its attention on getting the
wheat acreage program started, which,
indeed, it has been in more than pre-
liminary way. Previously, I reported
that Secretary Wallace figured a wheat
crop Of not more than 460,OO0,OOO BUSH
els next year was all that would be
necessary. Accordingly, withdrawing of
thousands Of acres from planting will
be necessary.
Now, the adjustment administration
has sent out orders to farm extension
agents wherever counties have them
and has appointed temporary workers
where no county agents exist, and
these people are laying the ground
work for wheat farmers to sign con-
tracts with their government. The
contracts will provide for Withholding
Of acreage and the farmers will be
paid for giving up that acreage
through the funds obtained by the
processing tax on wheat as it is milled
into flour.
Something like 1,10O agents, either
permanent county agents or temporary
appointees by the Department of Ag-
riculture, are at work in twenty-three
states. They are taking the initiative
iu organizing the farmers, explaining
to them what the purposes of the acre
age reduction program are and how
they will be compensated by joining
in the plan.
Chester G. Davis, director of the
wheat production division in the agri-
culture adjustment
Success Is administration, en-
Assured tertains no doubt
at all about the ul-
innate success of the program. Nor
does DR.. M. L. Wilson, of the same
group, who has been in close touch
with actual wheat farmers. They are
agreed that 1t will go over just as rap
idly as the farmers can have the thing
explained to them.
In the meantime, however, the mill
ers Of wheat are suffering, and the De-
partment of Agriculture is playing tag
with the grain exchanges and boards
Of trade. The millers obviously are
kicking about the burdensome process
ing tax which they say is difficult to
pass on to the consumers fully. The
boards of trade and the Department
of Agriculture are snarling and biting
at each other over a different matter,
but settlement of their differences will
affect the results of the acreage re-
duction campaign. So the whole thing
constitutes one picture.
The grain exchanges have been criti-
cized without end by Secretary Wal
lace and the others in positions of re-
sponsibility on the farm problem.
Secretary Wallace has told the grain
dealers they have to come under a
code, like other businesses. and they
have submitted code for his consid-
Grafton which he does not like at all.
The secretary wants to keep the little
fellows" out of the grain speculation.
He feels they have no business there
and that their marginal trading has
been the cause of some of the violent
fluctuations in prices because they can
not always put up more money if the
price falls out from under them. The
code submitted by the exchanges