Evening star., 1940-07-28
Discusses Importance
of Vice Presidency
By OUen L. Scott.

49, .'AAo Val o campaign AiiC ACacoh 40
twofold. For one thing, Mr.. Wallace will
need to carry the brunt of campaigning
President Roosevelt's announced plan
to stay close to the White House. For
another thing, there always is the
chance that the President, If reelected
to third term may at some time dur
ing that term decide to step down.
Mr.. Wallace has carried of success
fully one of the most difficult of the jobs
that have confronted the National Gov
eminent during the depression years.
That job was to bolster the Nations agri-
culture during period of transition
from that of purely individualistc in
dustry to that of a controlled industry.
The degree of success in that job is meas
ured in three ways. One is in the fact
that President Roosevelt, through his two
terms, has needed to give little or no
personal thought to the farm problem.
All the thinking has been done by Secre-
tary Wallace and his aides second is
in the fact that the American farmer,
during Mr.. Wallace's ministrations,
stopped hollering for the first time in 20
years. A third is in the fact that Repub-
lcan Candidate Wendell Willkie in dis
cussing the farm problem, could do no
more than tell farmers to keep what they
have until they can get something bet
ter. Republicans in Congress long ago
tired of trying to discover ways to help
farmers that the Secretary Of Agriculture
might have overlooked.
All Of this takes on added Importance
at the present time. The reason is that
the war in Europe with Hitler victory
means even graver problems to be faced
by this country's farmers. Those prob
lens will be measured in lost markets
that are not to be regained and by the
extent of adjustments at home that will
be forced by that loss. Unless American
farmers can maintain their markets in
Europe-Which they cannot-then there
is no alternative except q shift in pro-
duction and bolstering of city income
that will permit the people of this coun-
try to consume what farmers can pro-
duce.
Mr.. Wallace has plan for each prob
lem. He has a measure of control over
production in major farm crops through
a program designed to conserve the soil
He has worked out a plan for storing
surpluses that do occur so that the coun-
try can be assured of enough farm prod
ucts in event of drought and another
plan for keeping these surpluses from
depressing prices Of the products that
are stored. II it is necessary to meet
cut-throat competition in foreign mar
kets the Secretary of Agriculture has a
program for that as we'll He also has
worked out and is applying a plan for
increasing the consumption of surplus
foods by getting those foods to the low
income groups in the cities.
-
In these days when people are saving
that government can be effective only if
administered by a dicta torship, it is
notable that this country's farm-control
programs are operated on the democratic
principle. Administration is carried out
in the field by farmers themselves. rep
resented by men who have been elected
by their neighbors. Farmers, who have
been known as the Nations most deter
mined individualists. have demonstrated
an ability to cooperate in the overall
control of their vast industry. 1t may
be said in the campaign that the 10000
farm committeeman who operate the
program are political machine of un-
rivaled potency. This may turn out to
be true, but there are laws against it
and Mr.. Wallace has given frequent as
surance that the machinery of the Ad-
justment Administration is not to be
used for political purposes.
OF course, the vice presidency is not
job that calls for any particular under
standing of the Nations problems That
job is one that calls for few special quail
flcations, unless those of an ability to
help guide legislation in the event of
legislative tangle. But, in these times,
there is always a chance that the vice
presidency may take on special impor-
tance.
When it is realized that the Vice Presi-
dent might become President, either
through retirement of the President. or
through an accident, then particular i'm
portance attaches to the selection.
The Secretary Of Agriculture is not
what would be called highly effective
campaigner. President Roosevelt once
crossed him off the list of those who
might be accepted as candidates for
President on the ground that he lacked
political cit" Mr.. Wallace lacks the
glamour of Mr.. Roosevelt, but he has
sincerity that goes over with many peo-
pile. President Roosevelt is expecting
Mr. Wallace to do the hard field work for
the Democratic ticket.
Il k4
Much is made of the fact that both
President Roosevelt and Secretary Wal
lace are outright New Dealers. The fact
is, however, that the Secretary of Agri-
culture never has been accepted into the
Corcoran- Cohen Jackson New Deal in
ner circle. On reason is that Mr.. Wall
lace. early in the New Deal, backed up
Chester Davis, then administrator of the
A. A. A., when he purged the farm pro-
gram of its principal left-wing leaders.
The Secretary of Agriculture later made
some advances to the New Dealer in
siders, but didn't break back into their
good graces.
Essentially, on labor policy and on
finance. Mr.. Wallace is bit to the right
of the New Deal. He did not 60 along