Evening star., 1936-09-23
nv thA Associated Press

Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Cen
Nemen:
We are here for a frank discus
sion Of the needs Of farming. You
want to know what policies the
farmers can count on from the
Republican party. My purpose is
to tell you.
Most Of my life. private and pub
lie, has been spent in close contact
with farmers. For four years I
have had the honor of being Gov
ernor Of great agricultural State.
I know the aspirations of farm
folks. They want to have the same
chance and the same protection in
the market as other American in
dustries. They want settled, a
workable, national policy for agri-
culture. And I know that above all
else they want no system which
penalties plenty and rewards
scarcity. The American farmer
wants to produce without fear.
There is no greater satisfaction
than in owning the piece of land
that a man and his family call
home. There is feeling of part
nership in a common undertaking
among husband and wife and chill
dren that is more possible on the
farm than anywhere else.
There is nothing more satisfying
than raising good crops, having a
crib full of corn, plenty Of hay in
the NOW or stack. and hogs and
cattle fattening in the feedlot. AS
one of my farmer friends recently
said to me, and said with all rev.
erence, Lord, wish we could have
those things again!"
Farm Question
Held National Question.
For IS years we have been strug-
Cling with what has been called
"the farm question" 1t is not a
farm question, but national ques-
ton. 1t is a question of whether
the farmer and his family will be
able to buy the things they need
whether they'll be able to main
tain the full American standard OF
living. 1t is question of whether
the rest OF our people will be able
to trade a part of their products to
the man on the land for three
square meals day.
All the farmer asks is that his
income be on parity with the
rest Of the Nation: that he may en-
Joy the same standard of life: that
his home be made secure, and that
he be able to build up reserve
for the future
It is to the direct interest of the
consumers and other producers of
this Nation that the farmer be
good provider and a good customer.
know that these aims cannot
be realized over night. Miracles
are no more common in Washing
ton than they are in Des Moines.
To get a real solution we must
have a well-rounded program-a
program that will meet, not only the
present emergency, and the i'm
mediate future, but also the long
time pull!
Pledged to Meet
Present Drought Distress.
The Republican platform offers
tust such a program. BY 1t we
are pledged: To meet, to the fullest
extent, the present distress caused
by the drought.
To make the farm standard Of
living secure, by protecting the in
come of the farm family.
To guard the food supply of the
Nation by preserving our soil and
other natural resources through
sound conservation and land-use
policies.
To protect the farm and the
rest of the country from ruinous
debt and taxation.
This program not only takes care
of the present, it not only safe
guards the farm family while we
are working toward the necessary
adjustments of the future, but it
provides a settled, workable, ma
tional policy for agriculture.
Before I 60 into a discussion Of
this program, let me make this one
point absolutely clear. If I am
elected, shall fulfill all outstand-
ing obligations made by the present
administration with the American
farmer. BY this mean that those
who have carried out their end Of
the bargain will receive the checks
due them.
I am equally emphatic in my
views on meeting the suffering
caused by the present drought. We
will use the full power Of govern
n1ent to relieve the present distress.
Continuation of Relief
Checks Is Promised.
Those of our farmers hard hit
by the drought will be generously
provided for until they can raise
crop. This means the continua-
tion of relief checks! 1t means as
well, in the case of many farmers,
seed loans and other necessary as
sistance in order that the farmer
may get started again. Where such
help is needed. we will give 1t
promptly. There will be no waste
and no politics.
Let me repeat this part of the
Republican program. We will not
allow needless suffering in this
country-either on our farms or in
our cities We are determined TO
extend every reasonable aid to our
people to get them back to a self
supporting basis in the shortest
possible time.
Now I turn to our policies which
deal with the future!
For many years farmers produc-
ing crops of which there is nor
mally an exportable surplus have
worked under a handicap. I mean
such staple products as hogs,
wheat, cotton and tobacco. The
surplus is sold on world markets
and the price Of the entire crop is
affected by what the surplus will
bring. Tariff protection for these
products, generally speaking. is in
effective, except when there Is a
shortage. This handicap has be-
come increasingly severe in recent