The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-09-14
1l|1ll!Iijai99gffSlij
National Topics Interpreted "a ffYF6Fn&
by William Bruckaft (n{3T


the cotton program
faced real test when the farmers
were asked to pillow under their grow
Ing crop. which has succeeded insofar
as gaining the support Of the cotton
planters is concerned Secretary Wal
lace Is asking the wheat growers to
reduce their acreage for next years
crop, Is per cent below their average
In recent years. II Is now distinctly
up to them. therefore, II they want to
go on through with the allotment plan
for which there has been much aglta-
tlon In congress during the last SIX or
eight years. Contracts are being sent
around for the farmers to sign and
agree to go through with the plan to
boost the price of wheat by controlling
the production.
Accompanying this development In
our strictly natIonalistic program.
however, Is another of international
character. | refer to the agreements
recently reached at London whereby
a step has been taken to deal with
the wheat problem by concert of ma
lions IT can have far more influence
than can our program at home II 1t
succeeds, but Washington observers
seem to have their fingers crossed I'M
I'll they see some movements abroad
Indicative Of complete sincerity on the
part of some OF the nations that have
signed the London agreement.
The conference at London placed
several significant elements into writ
ten form. A general understanding
was worked out--and signed-that:
The major wheat importing and ex-
porting countries OF the world face
the facts of the world wheat problem
and agree on program Of action to
seek to correct them.
The exporting nations agree to con-
troll exports and to adjust production
so as to help eliminate the excessive
carryovers of wheat
The wheat Importing countries
agree to cease further efforts to ex-
pand production within their own
countries and agree to policy OF
gradually removing tariffs and trade
barriers as world wheat prices rise.
The countries participating In the
conference will establish Joint COM
mittee to watch the working out of
the plan In its various steps. This
committee will meet from time to time
and will be responsible for seeing that
additional steps are properly taken.
So we have an agreement among all
our own program we'll under way. The
international understanding Is long on
promises and to my way OF thinking
will be a long while In fulfillment. Our
own program. whatever Its merit be, Is
proceeding along quite different and
quite definite lines and II the theory be
right Is dependent for Its success upon
those who grow the wheat and not
upon whlms OF international politi-
clans and jealousies between nations.
There are so many IFS" In the In
ternational agreement which, after all.
hinges upon what
Many "Ifs the nations them
in Pact selves DO II all
OF the signatory ma
tions perform and try to adjust pro-
duction downward, such as the United
States has started to do, and remove
tariffs and quotas and other trade bar
riers, then 1t Is considered as possible
that something may come OF the con-
ference understanding. But those
whom / mentioned as having their fin
gers crossed are asking whether, for
instance. Australia. or the Argentine
or Canada, will enforce production
control. And, II they don't. then what7
Also, what about the situation II italy,
which now has tariff of SLOT (gold)
on imported wheat, doesn't cut off some
of that amount? Statesmen may sit In
a conference and fix things up In a
big way, and later their governments
have way OF forgetting Just what the
agreements were, or else find loopholes
In them.
| had letter from one OF my read
ers In central Kansas, asking whether
| thought the London agreement would
have any effect on the wheat situation
this year. My reply was that 1t would
| have none and could have none, and
| | might have added the further thought
| OF my own that 1t probably never will
have much effect, because 1t Is unlike
| ly there will be the necessary conces-
sions by all concerned. II all OF the
participating nations entered into an
international arrangement wholeheart-
eddy, wheat production and wheat
prices could be stabilized. There re-
mains, however, that ever recurring
"if."
To get back to the domestic plan
Secretary Wallace's decision to cut the
acreage Is per cent next year brings
up several questions. Fifteen per cent
OF what, for example? Let me quote
George Farrell, of the agricultural adj
justment administration, 80 there car
be a definite statement:
an many western counties, where
drought has prevailed during the last
| .hrpe wears. three-year averages are