Evening star., 1938-05-23

Varying judgments are expressed IN
the press as the Department OF Agrlcul-
ture issues forecast of bumper wheat
crop Some commentators believe that
the Government may be called upon for
aid in meeting the marketing situation.
while others look forward to an increase
of employment in transporting the grain.
There is some satisfaction that imports
will be curtailed. if the conditions are
realized as predicted.
1T is estimated" says the New York
Times, That the 1888 yield Of winter
sown wheat will be 754 1883, 900 bushels,
as against 725,7O7,O00 foreshadowed a
month ago and 685. 100000 actually har-
vested in 1887. This, if the estimate
turns out correct, would be the largest
recorded winter wheat harvest, with the
single exception of 1881"
The Times concludes: ut will un-
doubtedly mean renewed effort by the
Agricultural Department to cut down
future planted acreage. The Chicago
market has pointed out that, under the
new farm act, reduction in the wheat
sowing of next winter could be called for,
which would bring the planted area be-
low 30,000,000 acres, instead Of the ST.
900 acres sown to the present crop.
If anything like this were to be con-
templated, we should soon see what
would be the response Of farmers"
"If the indications are actually real
ized," thinks the Baltimore Sun. there
will be serious price complications ahead
for the farmer and for the A. A. A. and
we may expect to hear the cry Of the
agrarians calling for government action
and more government action resounding
throughout the land"
The Sun concludes: washington will
perhaps pacify the farmers and lift the
price Of wheat to the point at which the
farmers will again increase their acreage
and thus bring on another glut of the
wheat market and another price depres-
sion, and so in the vicious circle which
never seems to end"
THE price of futures" remarks the
Helena (Mont) Independent. "jiggles up
and down every day as rain falls or fails
to fall in this community or that A
timely sprinkle falls over Kansas today.
The price writer's operating in the grain
pits of Chicago, Winnipeg or Liverpool,
interpret that as promise of bumper
crop aud depress the price. Next week
another rain visits Kansas and the price
writer's see vision of rust taking the
fields. The price goes up. The Inde-
pendent feels that "the margin boys
don't care whoop about the farmer,
whether he raises big crop or small
crop"
with carry-over of 200, ,O00,0 900 BUSH
els, and a probable yield of more than
100000, 900 bushels in excess Of the coun-
try's needs" according to the Indian
apolis News, "the Federal Government
is sure to find itself in another serious
wheat situation. Already the price for
July delivery is down to around 70 cents
q bushel. A Government loan of so
cents a bushel is probable, which tends
to peg the price, but it is clear that If
the Government stepped out of the sit
uation and allowed wheat prices to be
governed by free market, the wheat
farmer would be worse off than at any
time since the war"
"The effect on American prices will be
largely determinable by the foreign out
put, the records Of which will be
anxiously looked for by the American
growers" advises the Syracuse Herald
The Alliance (Ohio) Review comments:
1.-THE situation offers a strong argu-
ment, experts point out, for wheat con-
troll, but is control possible when the
weather, world conditions and insect
pests and disease cannot be controlled,
and the attitude Of the farmers toward
sharp reductions In output d about be-