Evening star., 1938-08-12
PRESIDENT SCANS
FARM ACT KINKS
He Confers With Wallace
on Suitable Action to
Make Law Work,

President Roosevelt today turned
to consideration of the agricultural
problem following his statement that
suitable action" will be taken to
smooth out machinery for control Of
1888 crops under the new Farm Act.
He conferred with Secretary Of Ag-
riculture Wallace for nearly an hour,
going over reports that have come in
from agents In the past few days.
The Presidents intention with re-
gard to the farm legislation was made
known last night as he was en- route
home. Earlier, Secretary Wallace had
called on 200 State A. A. A. commit
teemen here to launch a militant
campaign to save the act. which is
meeting criticism in various parts of
the country.
The Presidents statement, which
intimated strong criticism of former
Gov. Eugene Talmadge Of Georgia for
his stand on the farm question follows:
"The original Agricultural Adjust
ment Act Of 1888, after two years of
administration. was working we'll, but
there were people like Mr. Talmadge,
who went about the State saying If the
act were declared unconstitutional
cotton would jump Immediately from
III to 20 cents pound. The act was
held unconstitutional and cotton
dropped from IL to about 9 cents.
Asked for New Law.
I'm January of 1887, the President
asked Congress for a new farm act. II
Congress had passed it at that session
there would have been ample time to
get cotton, tobacco and peanuts prop
erly organized for the 1888 crop. Con-
gress did not pass the act requested
and the President called a special ses-
sion in November. Different bills were
passed by the Senate and House and
went to conference. II at the special
session, an agricultural act had become
law, there still would have been time
to properly organize for the 1898
crops.
Actually. the new Farm Act did
not go through until February, and
1t was too late then to provide perfect
ed administration machinery for 1888
crops. Under these very difficult
hAndicaps we are doing the best We
can to re-examine the 1898 crop re-
suits, and as soon as the President
gets back to Washington he will see
Secretary Wallace and suitable action
will be taken"
II believe the Law is wonderful as it
is drawn and that it is the best possible
solution to the farm problem" Mr..
Wallace said to the committeeman who
had ben called to Washington to dis
cuss next years farm program.
Views Of Wallace.
go out and defend your farm pro-
gram against those who are trying to
divide the farmers. Make it
work. he told them.
The Secretary emphasized. however,
that he was not urging the committee
men to play politics"
Secretary Wallace's remarks were
made at time when tobacco growers
in Georgia and Florida were contest
ing legality of marketing quotas i'm
posed under the Farm Act. and spring
wheat growers were demanding ex-
emption from restrictive planting
program for 1889
Criticism also was being voiced In
the South at failure of the A. A. A. to
provide loans on cotton that would
raise the prices from about s.5 to 10
or II cents a pound. Many corn
growers. led by the Corn Belt Liberty
League. criticized acreage allotments
made under the law this spring.
Secretary Wallace placed enemies"
of the existing legislation in two cate
gories:
Those who offer "unsound" substi-
tutes. which. he said. would destroy
the farmer" and those who criticized
without offering a remedy for the prob
lem of farm surpluses.