Evening star., 1937-08-29

BY BLAlk bOLLES.
The woes Of the farmer supposedly
are burdening the thought of the vaca-
tioning Representatives and Senators,
whether they live in the center Of a
city or receive their mail from an r.
F. D. carrier. For before they voted
a week ago to give themselves a rest,
they agreed that the first object of
their legislative ministrations in jan
uary, or whenever the President calls
them into special session, should be the
tillers of Americas soil.
Secretary Wallace, in his own words,
is "devoutly praying" that the Presi-
dent will call the legislators back to
Washington long before January so
that they can get busy on the farm
problem we'll in advance Of 1888 lar-
vests.
Enough laws about agriculture have
been enacted under the Roosevelt ad-
ministration to fill a new volume Of
the encyclopedia. but the panacea
Congress now committed to consid-
ering is different" 1t is supposed to
solve forever and day the distressing
matter OF surpluses. those costly over
supplies of farm commodities which
send prices tumbling, lower the farm
ers' income and prevent his buying his
share Of industrial output.
Surpluses and Signs.
Cotton surpluses this year already
have stirred the South to demand Gov
ernment loans to buoy the price Of the
fiber. The tomato output in Maryland
and Virginia Is so lush that the Treas
ury Is letting loans to the tomato grow
ers. And although American wheat
farmers can smile today because large
crops OF their own and small crops
abroad give them wide export mar
ket, the pessimism which always rules
agricultural thought prods the experts
into shaking their heads dolefully as
they sigh:
What about next year?"
Wheat farmers in the United States
have 8l,000,000 acres in production in
1887, the greatest number in the Ma
tion's history, and most of it due to
show profit. But the department
OF Agriculture can look ahead IL
months to find trouble.
Its recent report on the wheat and
rye situation demonstrates how one
years bank roll for the grain growers
might be next years mortgage, thus:
II wheat growers respond to rela-
lively high prices this year, as they
have done in the past, there is little
probability that they will reduce their
acreage seeded for harvest in 1898
much below the 81 100000 acres seed
ed for this years crop.
An acreage Of this size with av-
erage yields would produce a crop
Of 950, ,000,0 900 bushels This production
this year, as indicated on the basis
Of August l reports, was 800 900
bushels. About 65O,O00,0oo bushels are
used annually in the United States,
and with average yields this quantity
could be produced on about $4,000, 900
acres.
Dubious About 1898.
THE export situation may not be
50 favorable in 1898. Unless world
production in 1898 Is again small or
export demand increases beyond pres
ent indications, prices Of wheat and
income to United States wheat grow
ers from the 1898 crop may be ex-
pected to be materially lower than
during the current marketing season" 4"
Involved in this problem Of variable
monetary return on the same crop
are the weather in all parts Of the
world, tariffs, the wealth OF the va
rious countries and the changeable
eating habits Of races scattered about
the globe. A Hitler edict limiting
the amount Of wheat bread to be
eaten by Germans will have its ef-
feet on farmer in Minnesota. Rain
at harvest time in Australia means
money for wheat brokers In Chicago.
Accordingly, we might think that
controlling surplus in America is .
dihculty beside which Einsteinian
mathematics are a child's play. But
Secretary Wallace feels it can be
solved by law. and when Congress-
during the last session frigidly greet
ed Wallace's thought the White House
was piqued.
The proposed law which the Rep
resentatives and the Senators will use
when they return to the Capitol as q
working base for the perpetual pro-
lection Of farmers income was in
troduced into the House 4 few weeks
ago by Chairman Jones Of the Ag-
riculture Committee and into the
Senate by Senators Pope and Nc
Gill. It is designed to protect the
stability of these nine major crops:
Cotton, wheat other than white
wheat, white wheat (from which come
spaghetti and macaronD, field corn,
rice, nue-cured tobacco, Maryland to-
bacco. hurley tobacco and other to-
bacco.
For each Of these crops the recon-
mended law would set . normal acre
age for the country, adjustable from
year to year, In the case Of wheat
and white wheat for 1888, e7.4oo, 900
acres. This acreage would b d.
vided among growers, who, In return
for their compliance With the pro