Evening star., 1939-11-17
Further Education
OF Consumer on Farm
Prices Is Urged
Mrs. Roosevelt and
Wallace Address
Lond-Gront Colleges

IA U1lSl SNuSoIAo1l Va viz Will
sumner. particularly as to what con-
stitutes a fair price for farm prod
ucts, is desirable, Mrs. Franklin D.
Roosevelt and Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wallace suggested today at the
concluding session of the SD annual
convention of the Association Of
Land Grant Colleges and Universe
ties at the Willard Hotel.
Mrs. Roosevelt said she had re-
ceived a number of letters from
citizens puzzled over differences in
farm and retail prices. This differ
ence, according to Secretary Wal
lace, is illustrated by the fact that
at one time this fall farm prices were
10 per cent below a past fve-year
average, while retail prices were 20
per cent above the same five-year
average.
Mrs. Roosevelts remarks were
part of an address on the theme
that greater cooperation is needed
between rural and urban people in
the United States
Not Enough Understanding.
"In my generation" said Mrs.
Roosevelt, people in the city and In
the country were divided in an un-
fortunate way Many felt that there
was little relation between the prob
lens of city and country, There was
not enough understanding between
farm labor and city labor"
Now that the youth of the Ma
ton has been brought together in
a mutual anxiety to keep out of
war, Mrs. Roosevelt suggested, this
is an excellent time to let the young
people from farm and city get to-
gether and discuss their problems
without too much direction from
older people. In this way, she sug-
gested, a concerted mor hit might
be started to get all the people of
the Nation together in democratic
way, working for the best interest
OF the whole"
Secretary Wallace said the coun-
try's land sis wearing out faster
than we are able to restore it," de-
claring Government efforts to con-
serve the soil through crop control
and other programs have not yet
been able to stem the destruction
by wind, water, destructive farming
practices and exploitation.
without a great movement for
conservation, the Department of
Agriculture head added, Our vaunt-
ed modern civilization will be in time
be plunged into decadence and low
rto Nf Etiy,r houo "a
fallen other great nations in the
past"
Changes to Be Announced.
Changes in the departments agri-
cultural adjustment and conserva-
ton programs with view to plac-
ing greater emphasis on proper
farming practices will be announced
shortly, Mr.. Wallace said. He indi-
Gated the new plans would require
farmers to conduct more extensive
soil-protection operations in order
to share in the $500,000,000 annual
benefit fund.
Secretary Wallace counseled the
educators to benefit by World War
experience and assist in prevention
of expansion of farm production in
the hope of reaping profits from the
current European war.
In the business session that fol.
lowed, F. D. Farrell. president Of
Kansas State College, was elected
president of the association, sue
ceeding Julian A. Burruss, president
of Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
W. C. Coffee of Minnesota was
named vice president and Thomas
Cooper of the University of Ken
lucky secretary treasurer. T. o
Walton, president of Texas A. ano
M. College, was reelected chairman
Of the Executive Committee.
Speaking last night before the
home economics section of the con-
clave, Mrs Roosevelt advised hel
listeners to study means of increas-
ing home consumption of food COM
modities for which there now Is
greatly reduced foreign demand be-
cause of the war
She called attention to a reported
apple surplus, and said she knew
of groups in the Nation who are
not getting enough to eat, notice
ably Missouri sharecroppers and
certain miners in West Virginia.
Mrs. Roosevelt admitted she did
not know the solution to the prob
lem, but suggested the possibility OF
establishing in Washington an office
to which Government employees
everywhere could report instances
in which surplus commodities were
not reaching groups in great need
Of them.
Undersecretary of Agriculture M
L. Wilson called acceptance OF
scientific agriculture by the Ameri-
can farmer one of the greatest edu-
cational accomplishments of all
time in an address to the conven-
ton yesterday.