The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-03
FARM TARIFF is
LIKELY C. 0. P.
ELECTION ISSUE
Alleged Drop in Exports,
Gain in Imports Are
Under Probe.
BY LYLE c. WILSON
United Press stan Correspondent


WASHINGTON, April S.-Repub-
lcan political strategiSts are devel-
oping lively agricultural issue
ready for discussion when Midwest
party leaders meet next month to
plan 1886 presidential campaign
strategy.
Senator Arthur Vandenberg (R.,
Mich), himself a presidential pos
sibility, is gathering material al
though he will not participate in the
Midwest meeting.
Acting on a tip in former Presi-
dent Hoover's recent indictment OF
the New Deal. Senator Vandenberg
obtained Senate adoption Of a reso-
luton calling for information on re-
cent agricultural imports and the
comparative production and con-
sumption Of cotton and wheat by all
nations from 1904 to 1898.
From this data there probably Ill
timately will be shaped platform
planks challenging the New Deal on:
Living Costs Under Fire
I. High cost of living.
2. Alleged diminishing foreign and
domestic markets for American agri-
culture
3. The Roosevelt tariff bargaining
policy.
There is no dispute about the in
crease of living costs. President
Roosevelt has recognized the trend.
Early this year he told conferees the
cost of living was expected to con-
tinue higher in the general readjust-
ment of dollar purchasing power.
Whether the American farmers
market is being diminished and if so
why is a subject of bitter argument.
Republicans complain that the
farmer is being squeezed out of nat
ural markets at home and more
competitive markets abroad.
Hoover Starts Challenge
Former President Hoover asked
the issues OF living costs and OF
farm markets in his March % letter
challenging New Deal policies in
general. He said:
Because Of food destruction and
restraint on farm production, for
eign food is pouring into our ports,
purchase of which should have been
made from our farmers. Cost OF
living is steadily advancing"
The Agricultural Adjustment Ad-
ministration disclaimer insisted that
from July, 1884, to February. 1885,
total imports Of all competitive agr1-
cultural products was IS per cent
less than the 1924-1933 average.
The AAA conceded that grain inn
ports had increased 286 per cent,
but attributed the increase to
drought.
Wheat and corn imports for the
July February period aggregated
about 100000 bushels But AAA
said 1875, 900 bushels of those grains
had been lost through drought and
pointed out that imports were insig-
nificant compared with production
and consumption Officials said
corn exports exceeded imports, any,
way.
Attacks Tariff Bargains"
Senator Vandenberg's data may
show United States acreage dimin-
ishing as foreign producers increase
toward self -suff1ciency their crops
of cotton and wheat.
"The Department of State and
the President" said Senator Vanden-
berg, ARE engaged in the negotia-
ton of so-called tariff bargains at
the moment and in every one of
these tariff bargains sooner or later
some agricultural product shows up
as having been traded away IN be-
half of some foreign farmer in re-
turn for some theoretical advantage
to some other domestic interest.
There already is an alarming in
crease in our farm imports. Can
Senators definitely ignore these sui
cidal trends? Is it true or is it not
true that at the very moment when
the Department Of Agriculture is
new subsidies to the Ameri-
can farmer in an effort to save him
from extinction, the Department OF
State is making new tariff conces-
sions to alien agriculture which are
helping drive this American farmer
ever nearer to extinction?"