The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-12-21
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National Topics Interpreted - fFYT7TNTM
by William Bruckart AIM1IfIN
National Topics Interpreted
by William Bruckar,

Norrises and others continue TO pull
one way and the Fletchers. Hilleses
and Requas are found Juggling at the
other end the chances of this elephant
eventually dying seem better than ever.
Two seasons of trial have shown
that in the Agricultural Adjustment
act, American ag-
Would Continue riculture has an
AAA Program effective means Of
adjusting its pro-
duction to the needs of the market, ac-
cording to conclusions announced by
Secretary Wallace in his annual report
for the Department of Agriculture. Mr..
Wallace believes that the adjustment
program should be continued although
he admitted that the enormous sur
pluses which previously existed have
now largely disappeared as a result Of
drouth or from other causes.
The secretary's report shows some
indication, in the opinion Of observers.
of an intention to change the tack of
the adjustment program. He suggested
that the task ahead may include adj
justment of production to a rising de
mand and that, it was pointed out, will
certainly not require crop reduction
exclusively. The fundamental pur-
pose, according to the secretary's out
line, is to establish balance between
production and consumption, and in de-
scribing this program he coined the
new phrase balanced abundance" Un-
less this is done, Mr.. Wallace declared,
there is danger of the country falling
into pit of scarcity economics"
I'm 1885," the report continues, Gag
riculture had enormous SURPRISES of
wheat, cotton, tobacco, and hog prod
ucts, which had accumulated as a re-
suit of wartime expansion, economic
nationalism, strangled foreign trade.
and reduced domestic consumption.
Prices had fallen to so per cent of
their 1929 level. Merely to avert farm
ruin it was imperative to eliminate the
SURPRISES.
"As matters then stood, production
control seemed to be synonymous with
crop production. But 1t was never
contemplated that reduction once start
ed should be continued indefinitely.
1t would be serious mistake to reduce
farm production constantly. Such
course would raise prices temporarily,
but would restrict consumption, and
create new farm competition at home
and abroad.
"This car be soundly achieved" he
said, "only on a reciprocal basis with
this country importing goods in re-
turn"
The secretary gave 1t as his opinion
that immense benefits would accrue by
increased international trade. 1t can
not be world policy, according to his
analysis, for each nation to 'live at
home" but the secretary did not state
in his analysis what commodities he
thought proper for importation. 1t was
with respect to this phase of his report
that there was much comment devel-
oped in Washington.
1t was pointed out in many quarters
that if the secretary succeeds in OPEN
ing the import gates to cheaply pro-
duced foreign goods, new problem i'm
mediately arises, namely, what goods
outside of such staples as coffee, rub
Der and the like can be imported with
out causing further increases in unem-
ployment among American industries.
State department examinations of COM
modify production in the United States
have disclosed that this country COM
petes with other nations In the growth
or manufacture of something like 80
per cent Of all commodities consumed
here. Thus, it is made to appear, that
encouragement of imports from abroad
cannot be accomplished without handi-
Gaping or even destroying some of the
American industries which give en-
ployment to American citizens.
The Wallace report also stirred up
discussion again as to the lack of CO.
ordination between various New Deal
policies and agencies. New Dealers
frequently have talked about develop
ing export trade and vast sums have
been expended by various groups and
commissions under authority of Presi-
dent Roosevelt in efforts to send Amer
lean products abroad-and get paid
for them. To that extent, Secretary
Wallace and the other New Dealers
agree, but beyond that there appears
to be a parting of the ways. 1t all
goes back to the question of whether
foreign manufactured goods should be
allowed to enter the United States
when their arrival takes away markets
for American made goods, products that
result from the labor of American citi-
zens whose standards of living and
wages are higher than those abroad.
Many persons with whom / have dis
cussed these questions are leaning to
the conclusion that Secretary Wallace's
ideas must meet defeat They say, as
has so often been repeated. that you
cannot eat your cake and have it, too.
/ Government efforts to prevent soil
erosion-another term for stopping
gulleys-have Gre
Fro0tem ated problem for
for Formers farmers and for
manufacturers of
farm equipment. One of the methods
employed to control soil erosion is the
construction of terraces on hillsides.
Now, the Department of Agriculture
has discovered that machines hitherto
satisfactory for cultivation of fiat or
rolling land are no good for cultivat-
ing terraces. So Ralph w. Baird, one
of the departments experts, has in
formed the American Society of Agri-