Evening star., 1938-07-18
Problems of South
Need Attention

President Roosevelts desire for a
study of Southern economic conditions
and that report should be made on the
needs Of that section meets with ap-
proval from the press. Southern edi-
tors, as a rule, hold that the section has
been affected by various forms Of dis
elimination.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch well
comes President Roosevelt's "rediscov-
ery' Of some very old problems in the
South. The Times-Dispatch advises the
Southern Advisory Committee. appoint
ed by the President, to make a field
study Of administration measures passed
to help Southern farmers, "for," says
that paper until something effective is
done to raise their income, the pressure
of population on industrial jobs will be
so great that 1t will be extremely dim
cult to raise wages. The administra-
tion's farm program has helped chiefly
the upper third Of agriculture"
AT the inception Of the New Deal"
according to the Atlanta Constitution,
"the South had hopes that, at last, a
Democratic administration, backed by
the greatest majority ever enjoyed by
the party in power, would do something
to rectify the long-imposed injustices to
the South. In large measure. however,
these hopes have, until recent date, met
with disappointment. Nothing has been
done to lift the burden Of tariff injustice
save through the trade treaties with
other nations secured by Secretary Of
State Cordell Hull. The inequitable
freight rate situation still continues,
though hearings are now being held by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
with the hope that this tax on Southern
industry may be ended"
I'VE like to think OF the South" says
the Miami Daily News, "as an expanding
frontier, region in which diversified
tion of agriculture and expansion of in
dustry have only just started. We en-
vision 1t as a section which, once these
trends have had chance to develop,
will be able adequately to support not
only its present population but unspeci-
ned additional millions"
There is no justihcations declares
the Texarkana Gazette, "for charging
more per ton per mile, for freight origi-
mating in Arkansas destined to the
North. than for freight in the opposite
direction"
The Presidents statement" says the
Paducah (KyD sun-Democrat, was q
call for corrective action. That action
he has already begun through T. " A..
and his Wage-hour regulations, and the
Farm Credit and Resettlement Admins
tration. His rural Identification program
will meet problem greater in the South
than in any other section. But South
erners agree with him that the job is a
long way from completion"
The South should insist that careful
study precede the report" advises the
Richmond News Leader, while the Ma
con Telegraph contends: Mr.. Roosevelt
can best help us to solve our problem
by reverting to the policies OF the Dem
ocratic party" The Youngstown Vim
dicator concludes that 1T is q problem
for the whole country"
X
Peter Molyneux Of the Texas Weekly
makes the comment when you cut off
the market OF any American producer,
you cut OF the markets of all American
producers. And this country has got to
buy abroad as well as sell. Without a
restoration Of the foreign market, only
haif the present agricultural population
OF the Cotton Belt can possibly maintain
even the accustomed standard Of living,
much less improve it. If the world mar
ket Tor cotton Is permanently lost it may
become necessary for six or seven mil
lion persons to leave the Cotton Belt and
seek employment in other parts of the
country"