Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-09-27
by William Bruckar'

VOcdIeS are using Lne argument anu
railroad executives find their. case is
difficult to prove, because the average
individual does not understand the ms
and outs of such financial problems.
On the side of the railroads, the ar
gument is being advanced that the car
riers for the most part are in fairly
good financial shape and that as soon
as there Is any sign of recovery they
will benefit by an increased volume of
traffic which, of course, means more
revenue. The railroads claim further
that there is too much restrictive legis-
lation anyway, and that additional
steps by the government in the nature
Of supervisory control is going to make
their job more difficult if they are to
earn sufficient revenue to pay their ex-
penses.
There is still another phase Of the
railroad question that is causing some
concern among students Of the problem
Of transportation. 1t is that, if the
present set-up of Interstate Commerce
commission control over the railroads
is disturbed, the chances are great that
politics will again become involved. I
think most persons agree that the rail-
roads have kept out of politics to
large extent in the last ten or fifteen
years, but the students of transporta-
ton insist to me that if such an office
as secretary of transportation with
cabinet membership is created right
then the railroads again will be
in politics up to their ears. Poll
ticians will not long overlook the OPP
luscious situation. They will see
how they can manipulate freight rates
to the benefit of their own districts or
states or other areas, they will likewise
see numerous jobs, and politics with
out jobs sinks to low ebb. 1t is thus
made to appear, and in this statement
/ am voicing the consensus of numer-
Gus observers, that we are on the verge
of crucial decision. 1t is one that
may mean as stated above, transfer Of
a gigantic industry into the hands of
politicians or the framing of scientific
policy for the future. The Forthcoming
congress must decide.
The Agricultural Adjustment admin
istration has just published treatise
on the plan and phi
AAA Explainslosophy of the New
Itself Deal for American
agriculture in the
form Of 52-page booklet which is
entitled Achieving a Balance in Agri-
culture" In issuing the booklet the
Adjustment administration at the same
time released a statement describing
the treatise as statement "in popular
language of the principles Of econom-
les and social welfare which the Agri-
cultural Adjustment administration has
followed in carrying out the adjust
ment program in agriculture" The
booklet is being distributed in numbers
running into the tens of thousands as
a means of getting the story over to the
people. 1t was printed at government
expense in the government printing
office.
The responsible officials in the Ad-
justment administration say the book
let Is intended to place between two
covers complete story of what we
are trying to do" Observers in Wash
ington freely are saying that it is one
of the most elaborate documents to be
released as means Of disseminating
to the public the theories upon which
governmental activity is based.
Five chapters treat the historical
backgrounds of American agriculture,
the development of the country's eco
nomic system and emergency of the
situation which brought forth the agri-
cultural adjustment act These sec
tons are followed by an exposition of
the powers Of the Agricultural Adjust
ment act. and an attempt then is
made to summarize the gains claimed
to have resulted from this experiment.
"The agricultural adjustment act"
the booklet says, ais based on the ex-
perience of the past; it was framed to
treat the farm problem as a whole and
to treat it In relation to the other basic
elements in our national life-
"The long time goal, the national pol
icy Of which these measures were an
increasingly clear expression, is a bal
anced agriculture. There must be bal
ance between the production of the
farmers fields and the consumption of
their product. There must be balance
between the Income Of the farmers and
the income of their neighbors In the
cities and towns. Insofar as we are
successful in achieving and maintain
ing such q balance, we shall insure a
fair share of our national income to
the producers of the farm commodities
on which our basic national welfare
to a large extent depends"
The Department of Agriculture has
made a complete compilation of stats.
tics showing that farm production in
the United States during 1888 was val.
ued at $5,9S5, 900, 900, or approximately
$685., 100000 greater than in 1892. But
the farmers received an additional
S271, COO 900 in cash payments from the
government for cooperation in restrict
ing production in 1888. so that the
gross income was around S6255, 100000.