Evening star., 1936-10-11

tle DdSlS lOT pCiuiuAAVhV ~eAAS~A
tural prosperity.
Tonight you know that the
ground has been cleared Of that
debris. After IL years in which he
has been harrassed and weighted
down by the burdens Of each Suc-
ceeding day, the farmer at last has
begun to get into the clear, so that
he can begin again to take thought
for tomorrow.
Back of what we did was the con-
viction that the agricultural prob
lem is not q problem for the farmer
alone-that 1t Is . problem for the
Nation as a whole. That is the
way we attacked it.
Farms and Industry.
Linked Together.
And the Nation is now going
along with the farmer. Now for
the first time in this industrial
period of our history the American
people understand that there is .
definite bond between agriculture
and industry-that the money we
have used for the restoration Of
American agriculture has been an
investment in the restoration of
American industry, an underwrit-
ing for the wages of American
labor. q stimulus for profits in
American business.
The defeatist attitude has at
last been defeated.
Back of what we did was a sec
ond conviction-thata . sound farm
policy must be q policy run by
farmers. Ours is that kind Of
policy. The farmers of America
moved into the Department Of Ag-
riculture on the day that Henry
Wallace set up shop there. For
the first time, a national farm pro-
gram was made in conference and
with the agreement of farm leaders
of all our farm organizations-a
program which came out Of the
free and open councils Of farmers
rather than out of the vote-catch.
ing schemes of politicians.
With these convictions, this ad-
ministration put its hand to the
plow. 1t has not turned, 1t will
not turn back.
I am going to tell you in just
seven sentences what We did. Every
man and woman on an American
farm can expand those seven SEN
tences in terms of the recovery.
that has come to each of them in
the last three and a half years.
/. BY our agricultural adjust
ment act, our monetary policy. our
soil conservation program, and our
we raised the farmers net annual
income by $500 100000 to a sum
three times what 1t was In 1882.
2. Through the Farm Credit Ad-
ministration we saved thousands of
homes and farms from foreclosure
and reduced the staggering burden
OF the farmers debts.
3. Through reciprocal trade trea-
ties and international currency
stabilization, We have begun to re-
cover the farmers foreign markets
in the only way in which they can
be recovered and held-by a policy
of mutual international advantage
which today is bearing fruit in the
reopening of markets for American
farm products in all Of the IA coun-
tries making these agreements-
by a policy which, for example,
within the last 10 days has brought
about lower tariffs in France, Italy
and Switzerland to the benefit Of
our farmers. A growing trade Is
making for international peace.
4. BY our program to revive
business-to increase employment
to raise business and professional
incomes and the wages Of labor
and by increasing the purchasing
power and consumption Of the
average American family-we have
restored national income, and pre-
pared the way for the steady and
longtime expansion Of the farm
ers' home market.
Permanent Plenty
Basis Esta blished.
S. BY our program Of land use
and conservation We have ended
the policy of immediate slut and
eventual waste, and have laid the
basis for permanent plenty.
6. BY our program of rural elec-
trification-by our farm-to-maket
roads-by our aid to rural schools,
We have begun to get for the farmer
his fair share in the comforts, the
advantages, the wider interests and
the deeper satisfactions which 60
to make the good life for himself
and for his children.
Z. When disastrous drought
struck the land in parts Of our
country. We rushed immediate and
direct relief to the farmers and
stockmen to save them from want
"A policy that some people call
waste-but you and I call wise.
There is the record. In those