The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-09-02

enough to supply the entire world
with cotton, for that matter.
Brazil has already expanded her
cotton production something like ten
times as much as such optimists
on the domestic cotton situation as
Secretary of Commerce Daniel c.
Roper thought she could three years
ago. Like many others, Roper SIM
ply would not believe the reports
that United States consuls in Brazil
were sending him.
A national magazine sent cot
ton expert from New Orleans down
to Brazil to study the situation. He
confirmed the consular reports, but
still optimism about the domestic
cotton situation radiated in Wash
ington.
1t further happens that Germany
has been busy at work developing
substitute for cotton. So long as
the world price is high, the Ger
mans will work constantly at that
problem. They can produce cotton
substitute now, but the price is too
high. But they are confident they
can eventually get the cost of pro-
duction down.
The terrible part of the whole
business is that once Brazil has in
creased her production sufficient
ly, or been joined by enough other
cheap producers, there is very little
the United States government can
do. The world will be supplied with
cotton from sources other than the
United States, and at a price below
the cost Of production in every state
east of the Mississippi river. In
fact, there are only two states, Texas
and Oklahoma, which can then con-
tinue cotton growing at a profit.
Soft Pedal Sugar Fight
One reason the big controversy
over sugar is SO confusing to the
average reader that he just skips
over it is that nobody is really say
ing what he means. Every one in
volved has motives, but they are
not talking about them. They talk
about something else.
President Roosevelt and Secre-
tary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes
are working in the interest of the
island producers-Hawaii, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin islands. Sena-
tor Pat Harrison, of Mississippi,
chairman of the senate finance
committee, and those following him
are working in the interests OF the
sugar refiners in continental United
States.
Roosevelt and Ickes want to put
no limit on the amount of sugar that
may be refined in the islands. They
claim that to do SO would be to dis
criminate against American citi-
ems, as these islands are all part
of the United States.
But the simple fact is that labor
is cheaper on the islands. So that
il their production were not restrict
ed--and as there is Of course no tar
if on the sugar they send to the
United States-the ultimate result
would be that every refinery now
working in continental United States
would be closed down.
In fact, this is perfectly known to
Ickes, who processes desire to see
work provided in new refneries,
particularly in the Virgin islands,
his special charge. Roosevelt has
developed keen interest in the well
fare of the poor people of Puerto
Rico, etc.
Underlying this, however, Is some
thing else. Roosevelt and Ickes just
happen to dislike intensely the
economic royalists" who own the
sugar refineries in this country, par
ticularly in Massachusetts. New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and Louisiana. This feeling prob
ably started off against a few OF
them, but as the fight grew hot it
spread to them all. Roosevelt has
used plenty OF adjectives in describ-
ing the lobby" which was trying
to get congress not to strangle the
domestic refining industry. In fact,
he permitted newspaper men to
quote him to the broad general e.
feet that il was one of the most per-
nicious and wicked outfits working
against the cause Of the people.
Pat Harrison, however, has GER
tainly proved a thorn In the admin
istration's side on this issue. Down
in his heart Pat has not forgiven
the President for defeating him for
Democratic leader of the senate.
There is no doubt, whatever, of
course, that it was Roosevelt's in
fiuence which elected Alben w.
Barley, Of Kentucky. over Pat by
one vote.
In this case, however. Pat had
local reason to fight. Many OF his
Mississippi constituents work in the
rehneries at New Orleans. Pat did
not want them to lose their jobs
through the government literally
closing these refineries down.
So he offered compromise"
which would get around the idea OF
discriminating against American
citizens. This compromise would
c;r,,Y r,rnyidp that all existing ra