Evening star., 1938-10-18

To be honest, it is no gamble as Mr.
Wallace and his earnest supporters
see 1t. They are convinced that the
production control plan will work, II it
Is given a chance. They point out
that there was no crop control in 1896
and 1887, due to the invalidating of
the original triple A by the Supreme
Court, and that therefore big surpluses
have been piled up which knocked the
cotton, wheat and corn markets into
a cooked hat this summer-with more
big crops coming on. That, however,
Is not quite an accurate picture-for
the Government had in operation
its soil conservation program designed
to take acreage out Of production Of
corn, wheat. cotton and other major
crops-the farmers were paid for COM
pliance in this program.
Prices Inspire Attacks.
The Wallace farm program has been
placed on the defensive for just one
reason-the drastic reduction In the
prices which the farmers are receiving
for wheat, corn, cotton, oats and otner
crops, as compared to the prices re-
ceived year ago. Secretary Wallace
and his supporters retort that while
corn may be down to 80 cents on the
farms today, the farmers are far bet
ter off than they were in 1882 when
they had to take 10 cents and maybe
burn their corn because they could
not get anything for it. Furthermore.
Mr. Wallace is able to show that
farmers who have participated in the
corn allotments this year are entitled
to 57-cent loans on their corn and
to 10 cents more for taking part in the
soil conservation program. The pro-
gram for wheat has not been really
launched yet, and the farmers another
year will be well served. he insists.
The attacks upon the production
control program came from many sides.
The Republicans denounce 1t, the La
Toilette Progressives will have none
Of it, the Farmer La borites in Mime
sofa have ideas Of their own about the
farm problem. and the Farmers Union
has little use for the Wallace plan,
judging from recent conventions in
South Dakota and elsewhere. The
dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other
States say they receive no benefits.
Cost Of Production" Rally Cry.
The La Toilette Progressives in Wis
consin have written into their platform
q demand for a cost Of porduction"
plan. The Republicans in South Da-
kota have taken up the cost Of pro-
duction" idea as they have in other
farm States. 1t looks as though this
cost Of production plan" will be the
chief rallying post of the New Deal
opponents. The plank says:
I'VE recommend the immediate en-
actment, by the Federal Government.
of appropriate legislation that will
guarantee to the farmers a price for
their products, including dairy prod
ucts, which is at least equal to the
average cost Of production, including
the reasonable value OF farm labor,
interest on the investment, taxes and
other necessary items Of cost Of pro-
duction. Destruction Of wealth, pre-
vention Of production, and planned
scarcity are wrong answers to this (cost
Of the recovery problem)."
The Republican platform in South
Dakota has this to say: Cost of pro-
duction plus profit must be provided
for the major farm crops, including
wheat, corn, oats, cotton and tobacco,
as specifically determined by the use
of the general commodity index of
1926 as the basic figure, in order that
farm products may have equal ex-
change value with the products of
manufacture and industrial labor when
translated on to other forms of
wealth"
Two-Price System Urged.
In addition, the South Dakota plat
form demands an adequate storage Of
basic crops to meet lean years and
prevent speculation and declares, I'VE
advocate a two-price system, cost of