The Washington times., 1934-05-12

May To- 1rT6' N$#3$t%::: $%
reparable injury
will be so seri- @
ouS as to
amount to q ma.
tional disaster. Lewis Haney
To begin with, it seems that
winter snowfall and spring rains
have been deficient in large areas
Df the West. Rivers are near low
water mark, and subsoil moisture
deficient. More recently the usual
showers have been lacking, and
terrific "dust storms" have re-
yulted from high winds.
The drought reports come from
Illinois and Iowa, Minnesota and
the Dakotas, western Canada,
various Rocky Mountain States
and parts Of California.
AS a result the Department of
Agriculture estimates the winter
wheat crop at 461 ,000, 900 bushels,
which Is q reduction Of 10000, 900
bushels in a month. This is as
Of May /. and since then con-
ditionS have been worse.
In addition, in large areas the
spring wheat crop is badly hurt.
In some sections it has been 80
per cent killed. Everywhere
farmers are withholding planting
because it does no good to put
seed into dry dust.
Secretary Wallace says wheat
crop conditions are the worst
since 1894. Canadian reports say
the fall wheat condition IS the
worst in 16 years.
With oats it is much the same
as wheat.
And then there is the serious
injury to pasturage and feed
crops. The May condition of
hay was around SO per cent Of
normal and far below a year ago.
Pastures are in bad shape.
So high costs for milk and
meat are probable.
Fortunately, no shortage or
famine is threatened. Corn prod
ucts are fair. Rye crops prom
ise to be above last year. We
have a large surplus Of wheat
carried over from past years.
It is estimated that there
are 26O, 600, 900 bushels Of wheat
in elevators or held on farms.
IF the current estimates for
the new crop are approximate
" right at 63O,OOO,OOO bushels,
that would make q total sup
ply of $4,000, 900 bushels.
The country does not need
much more than 7OO,OOO,OOO
bushels in normal times, so the
prospects are that, despite the
drought, we will have some
thing like 19O,OOO,OOO bushels
more than necessary.
The probable effects on bus
meSS, however, are deplorable.
Farm purchasing power is be-
ing literally dried up. Not only
will the quantity for sale during
the summer and fall be reduced,
but the farmers cost Of produc-
ton per bushel will be high on
account Of the low yield per acre.
The railways will suffer not
only from reduced grain traffic
but from the smaller volume Of
purchases by farmers.
OF course. the prospects Of grain
exports will become still more re-
mote.
Then, there is the necessary
"relief" which means taxes and
debts. Already the Government is
spending $25.000,000 q month for
drought relief. The relief admin
istrator Is advocating a $10,000,-
100000 public works program.
One thing that impresses me
lS the futility Of Government
planning" In such matters.
Even after you get the farmers
to adjust" their acreage, there
Is nature to deal with. I fear
that no Deal" new or old, can
deal with the two funda-
lnentalS, ~ Nature and (2)
Human Nature.
Secretary Wallace now wants a
more flexible" plan. He will
need it. But don't you see that
q so-called plan becomes so flexi-
BILE that it is changed continually,
you then have no plan at all?
Flour Production
Under Year Ago
TvsaS1,~%1aSa - $Io01Ss S.1y o1@a,VH on