The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-14
Secretary Wallace's Frankness
(Ninnoo nnliS Tr ih,,,,al


No matter what one may think of the
policies OF the AAA and their applica-
ton. 1t cannot be denied that Secre-
tary Wallace is engagingly frank and
judicial in all discussions of the points
involved. The secretary is always at
pains to make 1t plain that there Is
no pleasant panacea for the cure of
cur agricultural ills. In his address
before the American Institute Of CO.
operation at Madison Wednesday
night. the secretary outlined the three
possible policies which this country
may pursue In its efforts to rehabili-
tate agriculture. Each one OF these,
the secretary said, has Its draw
backs and its advantages. None Is
pleasant.
Each one Of these three courses
involves some pain" he said. THE
question is whether we are willing to
suffer little pain now in order to
avoid an infinitely greater pain later
on. Because the middle course in
wolves perhaps the least discomfort,
have been inclined to favor that and
to recognize It as our probable choice"
This middle course OF which the
secretary speaks involves the annual
admission Ut some two hundred mil
lion dollars more goods than we now
import and at the same time seeding
down and reforesting some twenty
five million acres Of good pillow land or
fifty million acres OF poor land.
What the secretary terms the ma
titnalistic course Is one that leads to
ultimate self-containment, which &C
cording to the secretary would be
costly in terms Of economic sacrifices
and extreme RECOMMENDATION. While
the internationalistic course would not
involve any cut In acreage, It would
require the importation of q half q
billion dollars more goods than we
now import.
Obviously the carrying through of
any OF these courses Is certain to
create sectional and class antagonism.
All these courses imply some type of
social discipline and the country as q
whole Is not accustomed to discipline.
There are certain to be conflicts Of
Interest and wide discrepancy In the
values to be attributed to certain
achievements. All Of which is not In
the least calculated to make the task
Of the secretary Of agriculture any
easier.
When we contrast the dispassionate
utterances Of Mr.. Wallace with the
cock-sure oratory of the protagonists
OF the various agricultural rehabili-
tation plans in the past, we can hardly
help entertaining an increasing con-
ficence In any plan he may espouse.
At least, We know that he Is not
espousing . cause fanatically or be-
cause Of any set convictions.
The secretary Is convinced that
acreage reduction on the world wide
scale is necessary to bring agricul-
tural prices back. He Is well aware
OF the difficulties. regional, national
and worldwide that confront such 4
proposal. but he Il enough Of I real
1T 70 know that facts are facts
Apparently neither the unpleasant
ness Of facts. nor their possible unpop-
ularity. interferes with his reason
Ing processes In this, II may be said
IN passing, he differs somewhat from
other members q tho admiuistratioul
family. t &, ct least, relreshing "a
read the address Of Q cabinet off,
cor Ia which no effort u made "a
glorify tho achievements Of himsell
g q the Standardization.