Evening star., 1939-09-08
Farm Plan Finds
Many Critics in Iowa
Corn-Hog Belt
Some Fear Mounting
Debt Of Government
In Making Payments

| BY the Associated Press.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa, Sept. 8.
The farm plan, as applied to the
Iowa corn-hog farmer, finds plenty
of critics in the home State of Henry
Wallace.
Republicans say there are more
critics than satisfied benefactors.
Democrats will argue about that
point. They point to the high per-
centage of cooperating farmers.
But through this rich corn and
hog belt that stretches up the mid
die of Iowa from Des Moines to the
-, Minnesota State line one can find
many farmers who are beginning to
wonder whether it is good business
for the Federal Government to in
vest something like twice the mar
ket price of corn in that commodity.
And the farmer has to be a pretty
good businessman to stay in busi-
ness.
Bothered With Debt.
I'm for the farm program" said
one who styled himself a Democrat.
But when the Government puts up
81 cents, or in some cases 81 cents,
a bushel for IS and 80 cent corn, it
sets me to wondering where we are
going to wind up. I'm troubled
about this Federal debt.
And, another thing: Only about
fourth of the people in the United
States live on farms. If that other
e-fourths Of the people decides
some of these days that the farmer
is being too greedy and making a
sucker out of them, what's going to
happen?
Some farmers have loan corn
stored away that is two years old.
Many more have lots of last years
crop under loan. We have big crop
coming on this year with no place to
put it. What's going to happen to all
of this corn?
But I'm cooperating. I'm hold
ing down my acreage, taking the
conservation payments and the
loans. am in favor of the purpose.
I know they mean we'll and really
are trying to do something. But
don't think they've found the right
thing"
Against Acreage Reduction.
Another Democratic farmer put it
this way:
I'm not cooperating in the
acreage reduction. AS long as there
are people in this country who are
hungry, will keep on growing food
1t will be different when I know
they are all getting enough to eat
But I think it's sin to try to
control crops when we have hungry
people"
And a Republican farmer in the
northernmost tier of Iowa counties
said:
Yes, we are making a little
money. All through here, the good
farmers are making money; the poor
farmers and tenants not so much.
would we be making, money If
We were not getting the benefits?
Well, the only benefits I get are
the payments for soil conserva ton
have cut down my paintings of
corn and am planting soil-building
crops. But was planting them any
way. Any good farmer does that
I figure that I am just getting paid
for doing something would have
done any way
IF I were planting corn on the
land that I now have out of culti-
walton and on which I am drawing
benefits, l would be making just
about as much as I am now"
J. He, like others. said his money
came from hogs and cattle, not from
corn. Seventy-five per cent Of the
Iowa corn goes into hogs and cattle
I'VE sell very little corn" he said.
I'm fact, I sometimes have but a
little corn"
Cheaper to Buy.
He pushed back his hat with
horny hand and grinned:
Some of the farmers have been
making money by stor lg their corn,
| taking the Governr Mt loan, and
then buying the co they needed
for food. They coub store their corn
and get the loan p. ce. then 60 into
the open market and buy what they
needed for about half Of that"
But none of the critics, farmers,