The Republican., 1939-10-19

(This is the second of several articles
in which Mr.. Waltman gives his i'm
pressions Of recent trip across the
country.
Generally speaking, the farmers of
the United States are in revolt against
President Roosevelt and the New Deal.
There is nothing violent about their
attitude On the contrary, it is a quiet
but deep-seated resentment which be-
speaks q resolute determination to get
rid Of an Administration that has done
irreparable harm to the agricultural
community.
Results of last November's elections
clearly indicated that Mr.. Roosevelt
and the New Deal had lost the support
of majority of the farmers. This was
true in Kansas, Iowa, down-state Hi
nois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming,
Idaho and the Dakotas, an area con-
stituting Americas bread basket.
The sentiment which last November
spelled out Republican victories in
those states has not changed. If any
thing, hostility to the New Deal has
become greater. At least, according to
all accounts, it has been far more out
spoken this summer than it was year
ago.
Low Farm Prices
What are the reasons for this hostil-
ity In rural sections toward the New
Deal? Primarily, the low level of farm
prices is at the bottom of dissatisfac-
tion with the New Deal. This is just
another way of saying that the New
Deal has failed to solve agriculture
problem. Despite the billions of dol
lars paid ont by the New Deal in vari-
GUS forms of agricultural subsidies.
the grim fact remains that farm prices
now are around their 1888 levels.
The feeling among farmers gener-
ally seems to be that they have been
worse off under the New Deal than in
the previous six-year period, despite
farm subsidies. Statistics on farm in
come of the Department of Agricul
ture bear out this contention. Farmers
say that if they could go back to the
price levels Of the twenties, they would
gladly forego handouts from the Gov
ernmeHt-
"Of course, l take the A.A.A. checks
but know it is wrong and that we are
getting nowhere" is a common COM
plant heard from farmers throughout
the bread-basket States. incidentally
many farmers apparently resent the
New Deal efforts to make them wards
of the Government. They insist in
conversation that they desire only a
fair price for their products and do not
wish to be treated as privileged bene-
ficiaries Of the Federal Treasury.
Futility of A.A.A. Shown
The futility of New Deal efforts to
control farm prices and production by
acreage restriction is obvious on all
sides in the farm belt Driving from
Lincoln to Omaha, Nebraska, in a tenn
perature of 106, with hot wind sway
ing the tasseling corn, we realized how
puny were the efforts of men to dictate
the yield Of the earth.
Yet man himself refuses to be regi
mented by the Washington theorists.
who seem TO think that the yield of an
acre Of corn is always the same. Farm
ers havH learned to plant their rows of
corn closer together since acreage re-
striction commenced. Those close to
railroads now make a greater use Of
fertilizer. Those more distant cannot
afford it, so they are penalized by the
New Deal program.
But the greatest boon of all, under
an acreage reduction program, is the,
use Of hybrid seed, which it is reported
will iDr1'ease the yield of an acre of
corn by ID to % busels. Many farmers
refer t0 this seed as "high-bred" corn.
The fact that Secretary Henry A. Wal
lace is widely reputed to have finan-
cial interest in company producing
such seeds causes expression of doubts
as to his sincerity. 1t appears to be an
other New Deal example of not letting
your right hand know what your left
hand does!
Other Reasons For Hostility
Failure Of the New Deal farm pro-
gram 20 work, however, is not the only
reason why farmers are sour on the
Roosevelt Administration. Industrious.
thrifty and frugal by nature, farmers
are aghast over New Deal activities in
the field Of spending, relief and labor
relations.
Most farmers see red when WPA
is mentioned. They do not object to-
government relief for those geneu-
inely in distress, but they believe that
the WPA in many instances has beer
made a racket for boondoggling, radi
Gals and those who wish to get out of
working. With so much unemployment