Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-09-16
SEEN and HEART
around tie
NATIONAL CAPITAL
By Carter Field :
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT


innocent loans on cotton, plus the
bonus to those agreeing in advance
to 60 along with next years reduc-
ton in acreage programme be pro-
vided in the special legislation on
which President Roosevelt now has
the congressional leaders hog-tied
on promises-marks the beginning
of the end of cotton growing in the
southeastern states.
The point is very simple. At pres
ent go per cent of the cotton crop of
the United States, on the average,
is exported. Which means that it
is sold, naturally, in competition
with cotton from all other parts of
the world. During the last six years
especially, though there were begin
nings before that, Brazil has been
increasing its cotton production by
leaps and bounds.
Brazil can sell cotton at a profit at
six cents, American money, a
pound. During the period of expan-
sion the world price has been held,
largely through American efforts,
at above ten cents. During the first
year or two it was the Hoover farm
board which artificially maintained
the world price of the staple. Be-
fore the shrewd spectators had
bought up huge stocks of cotton at
the low early depression figures,
and reaped harvest when govern
ment efforts put the price up.
Just as the Soviet government OBJ
tanned an enormous price for its
bumper wheat crop, also in the
Hoover farm board days, by the
simple expedient Of concealing the
fact that Russia had lot of wheat
to sell, and selling it short in Ameri-
can Enthusiastically to the
farm board-and delivering the ac-
tual wheat later instead of cover
ing, as Arthur M. Hyde, then Sec
rotary of agriculture, expected.
In each year of AAA reduction
following the farm board period, it
can be ascertained from official fig
ures-the curtailment of American
exports was almost precisely
matched by increased production in
the rest of the world This was not
a coincidence. 1t did not just hap
pen. The world wanted the cotton
and bought it elsewhere. It would
have bought the cotton from the
United States if we had produced it.
Our own failure to produce it en-
couraged the producers of other
countries.
Brazil Takes Lead
Brazil led this parade, but there
were many other foreign countries
participating, including even the
new Japanese puppet state in North
China.
Remembering this six-cent price
at which Brazil can afford to sell
cotton at a profit, the fact seems to
be-and this based on our own gov
eminent figures - that only two
states in the Union can compete
with such low cost production.
These states are Texas and Okla
homa, and there would be plenty Of
walls from them if the price drops
that low.
All of which points to the eventual
retiring of all the southern states
east of the Mississippi from cotton
production, since it is only matter
of time when the export of cotton
will be virtually impossible econom-
ically.
This may prove a blessing. In
Georgia there is monument to the
cotton boll-weevil in certain
county seat. That county was forced
by the weevil to turn from cotton to
other crops, including peanuts, and
as an unexpected result the county
fourished as it had never done be-
fore.
So that it is not impossible that
the entire South, from North Caro-
lima to Louisiana and Arkansas,
may be enormously benefited when
that section stops raising cotton and
turns to other crops.
But no one who is really RESPONSE
BILE for what is about to take place
is planning any such consumma-
ton!
Seeking Motive
Many critics of the Roosevelt adj
ninistration and the New Deal gen.
orally have been critical of both
because of the attitude of the pow
ers that be against Andrew w. Mel
Ion. Since his death there have
been more vocal demonstrations OF
this than usual-more seeking for
the motive that inspired the at
tacks.
Most of the ascribed explanations
miss the truth by a mile. First,
there was nothing personal in it
Second, there was no particular de.
sire to discredit the Hoover admin.
istration. This last may sound fan.
tastic, but the simple truth is that il
James A. Farley and Charles Mich
elson could have accomplished just
what they wanted by propaganda
directed to Republicans last year
they would have nominated Herbert
c. Hoover instead of Gov. Alfred
M. Landon at Cleveland.
This of course refers to their at
titude at the time-untinctur with