Evening star., 1934-07-26
Exodus From Wheat Area
Win Not Be Forced, U. S.
Agency Says.
DROUGHT CENTER MOVES
TO IOWA AND MISSOURI
Removal of Surplus Turns Farm
officials Thoughts to Removal
of Acreage Limits.

The great drought. which Is hold
ing 10 States in its grip while other
areas are becoming dangerously dry,
today brought two notable Develop
nts-announcement by Secretary of
Agriculture Wallace that a sweeping
change in the wheat control program
of the A. A. A. was under considera-
tion and a statement by Elwood Mead,
commissioner Of reclamation, that IL
viii be necessary largely to depopu-
late parts Of the Northwest wheat re-
gion.
DR.. Mead's statement, made upon
his return from a tour through the
Northwest. brought an immediate re-
Joinder from Dakota landowners ac-
cording to Associated Press disptches,
but Federal experts agreed that at
least some parts of the Dakotas,
which are devoid of ground water and
have only thin soil overlying q
hard, black shale, are particularly
worthless for agriculture.
They can produce profitable crops
only in exceptional years and the
present emergency is only an accen-
tuation Of what the poverty-stricken
farmers have endured for the last
decade or more.
No Forced Moves.
The Federal Emergency Relief Ad-
mtnistration emphasized, according to
the Associated Press, that no farmers
would be forced to abandon their
farms and take up others In more
productive areas
There VIII be no condemnation OF
land" a spokesman said. THE only
movement of population to be con-
sidered win be where a group agrees
TO resettlement. But there viii be
no condemnation against the will OF
the people"
The relief administration has worked
out a general program for what 1t
has designated as poor farm areas.
Under this classification 1t has in
cluded some dry land farming area
in Eastern Colorado, Western Kansas.
q small portion of the Oklahoma
Panhandle and some Of Western
Texas and some grazing and dry
farming areas in the western part
Of the Dakotas and Nebraska and the
eastern part Of Montana and wy
oming.
Specific plans have not been worked
out, however, except for South Da-
kota.
Drought Center Swings.
Meanwhile. the most notable de-
velopment Of the drought itself is
that its center has swung from the
Northern wheat section, already prac-
tically ruined, to the rich corn belt
of Iowa and Missouri. where only a
timely rain can save a second major
crop from being burned up in the
fields.
The drought has already removed
any probability OF dangerous wheat
surplus and even raised predictions of
shortage next year. Agricultural
Adjustment Administration officials,
1t was announced, are studying q plan
to return to normal acreage next year.
but with the reservation that II a
surplus seems probable, part Of the
crop could be used for forage while
still green. The final program de-
pends upon developments in the world
wheat situation as well as future me-
neurological conditions.
Referring to the extension Of the
drought into the corn belt, Secretary
Of Agriculture Wallace said today.
'If the drought keeps up for another
three weeks we will have a real serious
situation on our hands" The A. A. A
program. he insisted, had bettered the
situation by stimulating pasture and
hay production, without which IT, HvG
stock in the area would be in a serious
condition.
Normal Acreage Seen.
The new crop control program un-
der consideration would enable the
Nations farmers to harvest the cror
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