Evening star., 1936-12-27
Back to Joseph's Plan.

- ~
The report and recommendations Of
the Presidents Committee on Crop In
surance are singularly free from the
trumpet-blowing and the glittering
promises that so often accompany the
launching of new devices to improve the
lot Of man. This may be explained. in
part, by the committees realization that
there Is nothing radically new in its
scheme. Joseph. summoned as the almost
forgotten man from prison, outlined sub
stantially the same thing to Pharaoh, in
Guiding even the localized administration
by county committees. The fundamental
differences are that Joseph was a better
crop forecaster than any We have today,
and that while he thought mainly in
terms of insuring the people Of Egypt
against crop failures. Secretary Wallace
advances crop insurance as another form
Of aid to the farmer.
The committees report records past
failures Of crop insurance experiments
privately conducted. at.ributing them
partially to the lack of adequate crop
data and satisfactory actuarial statistics
upon which to base rates. These, it Is
contended, have to helpful extent been
furnished by the Department Of Agri-
cultures experience in A. A. A. crop
control and through many conferences
with farmers and insurance experts. The
committee has outlined definite pro-
gram of crop insurance and recommended
its adoption, to begin with wheat and to
be extended only as experience and the
interest Of producers of other crops may
dictate.
Some Of the important elements Of
the plan are that while crop insurance
will be extended only to wheat growers
who want it, the premium rates. payable
in kind, will vary with the conditions on
the individual farm and the county in
which the farm is located. This would
tend to prevent the competent farmer
from bearing the losses que to shiftless
farming by his unskilled neighbor. The
insurance would extend only to seventy
i've per cent of what Is decided as q
normal crop, and would apply to crop
yield and not to price. The wheat paid as
insurance premiums would be stored at
Government expense in bonded ware
houses for payment, in adverse years, as
indemnity. While the farmer would have
the privilege Of paying premiums in cash,
instead OF in kind, the Government would
Immediately use the cash for the pur-
chase of wheat for storage.
The proposal that the Government
shoulder all the overhead expense, such
as administration and storage, is de-
Tended on the ground that crop insurance
will in some cases supplement, If not re-
place, other forms of Government aid.
The strength Of this argument. however.
is not measurable until estimates of cost
to the Government, based on some actual
experience, are available. The other
justification for the Governments shoul-
dering the cost Of overhead is that the
anticipated results Of crop insurance. In
the form Of accommodating supplies during
the fat years for use during the lean
years is public benefit.
So enthusiastic was Pharaoh over
JoSeph's Interpretation Of his dream. and
so confident was he Of the sound.
ness Of Josephs plan. that he took
of his ring from his hand and put
it upon Joseph's hand and arrayed
him in vestures Of fine linen and put q
gold chain about his neck. and he made
him to ride in the second chariot which
he had. and they cried before him and
made him ruler over all Egypt.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I
am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no
man lift up his hand or foot in all the
land Of Egypt"
Which may explain the Department Of
Asriculture's insistence that full admins
trative control over the crop insurance
plan be placed with the Department Of
Agriculture.