Evening star., 1934-10-19

Results of balloting in some farm
States on the corn-hog program Of the
Federal Government revive discussion
OF the merits of subsidies. Support Of
the plan, as in the past, is based on
the contention that the farmer is en-
titled to q Lying from the occupation
Of furnishing the food supply Of the
country. On the other hand, 1t is
argued that the A. A. A. system is un-
fair to the consumer and that this
may be reflected in reduced benefits
on the farm.
"On the basis of first returns in the
Governments poll" says the Yakima
Washington Morning Herald, "the
farmers of Nebraska voted by mar
row margin to continue the benefit
payments for crop reduction. The
amazing slant on the vote was the size
of the minority rolled up in the first
returns. 1t is really surprising that
6,573 farmers voted against the scheme,
while 8,316 voted in favor of it. This
shows that considerable body of dis
sent exists in Nebraska against the
key measure of the A. A. A. program.
If the proportion of discomfort runs
through the rest of the vote in Ne
braska and is maintained in the
tallies from other States, the reac-
ton of the Agricultural Administra-
ton will be interesting to watch"
1.-The A. A. A. in Washington" ac-
cording to the Kansas City Times, "is
wondering at the opposition Of East
ern Kansas farmers to the corn-hog
program. There is call for an explain
alton when the balloting shows such
different results in Kansas from those
shown in Iowa and Missouri. Vari-
Gus reasons undoubtedly affected
the Kansas situation. The farm
troubles that broke out in Iowa and
parts of Missouri perhaps made the
A. A. A. more prompt in getting the
corn-hog payments into those regions,
the squeaky wheel getting the grease.
The checks are months late in reach
ing Kansas, where there was no
trouble. This delay was important be-
cause the farmers were prevented from
using corn-hog money to buy feed
when it was down. Now that the
checks are coming in, feed prices have
skyrocketed. Naturally there is re-
sentiment"
Upholding the interests Of the con-
sumer, the Akron Beacon Journal con-
cludes: Farmers of nine Midwestern
States, including Ohio. are rolling up
a big majority for the proposal to
continue the A. A. A. corn-hog and
wheat restriction program. Omcials
of this bureau were really taking no
chances in submitting such question
to a referendum Of farmers to whom
they had dished out nearly a billion
dollars in subsidies. 1t was like asking
the millions on charity rolls to declare
If they were in favor of continuing
Government relief"
It appears to the Columbus Evening
Dispatch that sit was to be expected
that the people receiving checks would
vote to continue the program" That
paper adds: "The plan admittedly
was experimental, and it admittedly
has its shortcomings. 1t is to be hoped
that out of this initial effort to aid
farm prices will be developed larger
plan which will give some kind Of
relief to the consumer as well as to
the farmer, for, after all, the consumer
has been as hard hit by the depres-
sion and is as perplexed by the eco
nomic uncertainties as Is the agri-
culturist." On this phase Of the mat
ter the Roanoke Times concludes: ''It
may be said that the A. A. A. seeks
q return to values lost. These values
include one that every one has con-
ceded to be Just and important-the
farmers right to make living. They
include another as fair, the city dwell
ers right TO make o living, and .