Evening star., 1933-11-13

President Roosevelt's objection Of the
demands Of the Governors Of five agri-
cultural States for price-fixing of farm
products and currency imitation Is wide
ly applauded.
Viewing the Governors appeal in It's
most favorable light, the Minneapolis
Journal emphasizes the belief that 1.-THE
position Of agriculture has been i'm
paired by success Of the National Recov-
cry Administration" for there has been
price advance of nearly everything the
farmer has to buy, and his own income
has not followed. except for some bet
terment in grains"
President Roosevelt took the only
possible course" the st. Louis Post-Dis-
patch advises, however, when he re-
jectedN the price-raising plan. The
Governors program would have required
the Federal Government to license every
farmer and every professor Of farm
products. It would have imposed q
compulsory monthly production quota
on every farmer in the United States.
1t would have forbidden any professor
to buy or sell farm products below a
stipulated price, q price some 10 per
cent higher than the one which now
prevails. The plan. In short, would have
compelled the Federal Government to
impose detailed dictatorial control over
the whole process Of producing, process
ing and distributing food products, from
one end of the country to the other.
The Administrations objections to the
unconstitutional. 1t is certainly unen-
forceable. II other States were unwill-
ing to cooperate In the scheme, restric-
ton of output in the five States propos-
ing 1t would only induce increased OUT
put elsewhere, thus defeating the whole
project. A sudden price boost of 70 per
cent would cause further cut In con-
sumption" The Dispatch adds
that, "in the face of the record, 1t ap-
pears as ungrateful as 1t is inaccurate
to accuse the Government of neglecting
the interests Of agriculture.
There can be no question" contends
the Des Moines Tribune, "of the eager
ness of the Department of Agriculture,
under its present leadership, to accom-
plish great things for the farmer" This
paper feels that "the proposal for Inn
mediate and universal licensing Of
everybody connected with farm produce
marketing, producers included, really
calls for such dictatorial power of the
Government over half our total popu-
The Tribune concludes: "The third
thing In the situation Is the re-empha-
sized urgency Of speed. The fact that
a new fiare-up Of unrest can be caused
at any moment by the left wingers of
the farm movement, even though they
be distinctly in the minority, has its
clear significance. The handicap which
this places on the carrying out Of any
program requiring even q moderate
amount Of time Is obvious"
THE farmers should await the out
come OF the agricultural experiments
that have been begun" declares the
Cleveland News, while the Houston
Chronicle states that I'VE must stay by
the program already adopted" and the
Springfield (Mass.) Union believes that
1t would have been fatal to the whole
body OF the Presidents plans had he
ventured to override the objections of
the demands Of the Governors" The |
Oakland Tribune says that "the Cover |
any one who knows o how low to oIs give ITO It to |
them?" The San Antonio Express OBJ |
serves that 'the clash between econ |
omists' opinion and political opinion ON
the subject Of price imitation through
currency initiation must render stfn more
difdcult the attempts to relieve q criti-
cal condition in the Midwest's econ
omy."
THE Presidents rebuff to the Cover
nors." thinks the Rochester Times
Union. shows not only courage, but a
steady and broad view Of the present
and this Is what the country
needs to know Of him." The Younss-
own Vindicator says: "Such price -hx-
ng schemeseas the farmers are de- /