The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-05-26

crop Ldlo appears to be bog.
Boys DoDn ging down. From
what / h I
around the Offices of senators and
representatives at the Capitol, there
is plenty of rebellion against the
law which is supposed to plan ag-
riculture on a scientific basis. In
deed, if one reads some of the let
tiers, the conclusion is unacceptable
that Secretary Wallace and his "sci-
entific planners" are going to have
more trouble than a one-armed pa
per hanger in administering that
law.
1t is difficult to provide clear
analysis of the trouble because OF
the complex character of the law,
the confusion as to what can and
can not be done under its provi-
sions, the varying attitude of the
farmers who are its "beneficiaries"
or its Victims" according to their
views. The problem of telling what
is wrong is made the more difficult
because practical people seem to be
unable to get anywhere in their eff
forts to get the scientific planners
to recognize human nature as well
as the material forces that must be
considered in farming.
I have talked with a number of
Department of Agriculture people;
individuals who are supposed to un-
derstand the crop control law. They
are most convincing; the pen-and-
ink sketches that they have made
leave only the question as to the
reaction of human beings. The de-
partment propaganda surely is suf-
ficient to smother any criticism. It
is formidable. But it, also, leaves
that question of human relation
ships, wind and weather, to be de-
termined. Even in that regard, ev-
cry now and then Secretary Wal
lace issues a statement or makes a
speech which seems to do away with
any possibility Of trouble from those
influences.
In the meantime, however, the
cotton growers of the South went
into a rebellion about the acreage
allotment. They succeeded in get
ting, rather in forcing, Secretary
Wallace to obtain congressional ac-
ton allowing for an increase OF
100000 acres Of production this
year. He went after that legislative
action as an emergency, and there
was plenty of sentiment in congress
for it, because as a matter of cold
fact there is a very large majority
in the house and senate who doubt
that the new crop control law is 60
ing to work. To the request for ad-
ditional acreage, therefore, there
was only little objection since adj
ditional acreage meant an obvious
increase in general production with
the chance for increased return to
the farmers who grow the cotton.
Only lately, another tidal wave of
rebellion developed. It came from
the corn farmers. They had re-
ceived their allotments of acreage
and, like the cotton farmers, they
found themselves between the up
per and neither millstones. Their
rebellion surely lent credence to
statements in debate when congress
was considering the bill that it con-
ferred more power on a federal
agency than ever ought to be con-
ferred in a free country, and that
there was no possibility of this pow
er being exercised wisely since none
knew its scope. The cotton and
corn revolt, therefore, would seem
to support assertions in the senate
that the two chief sponsors of the
bill, Senators Pope of Idaho and
McGil of Kansas, had no under
standing of the measure they were
fighting for. At least, the explana-
tons they made never were able to
permeate what I am pleased to re-
fer to as my brain.
The corn professors made their
first concentrated move only recent.
ly at Macomb, ILL.,,
Farmers and the sum and
Protest substance of that
meeting seems to
be that those farmers have had their
bellies full of compulsory crop con-
troll. They called it un-American;
they described it as ruinous and
pledged united action against its
continuation.
Of course, no one in Washington
can tell exactly how many farmers
are in sympathy with the position
taken at the Macomb meeting
There are 566 counties in what is
designated as the corn area. Wheth.
er there is a large majority against
the compulsory, dictatorial type Of
law, or whether there is only a siz.
able minority can not now be &C.
curately stated. 1t can be stated
as a definite fact, however, that
farmers do not spend their money
to go several hundred miles for g
meeting of protest unless they are
being badly damaged. Communists
and other radicals would 60 dashing
anywhere to hold protest meeting
but farmers are not built that way
So the Macomb meeting must be
taken seriously. 1t must be giver
additional weight as well because il
followed on the heels of heated pro
tests from the cotton growers.