Evening star., 1940-07-30
President Returns
And Gives Attention
To Farm Problem
Two Middle Western
Agricultural Leaders
Call at White House
By BLAIR BOLLES,

BY BLAIR BOLLES.
President Roosevelt, satisfied with
what he saw during his week END
defense inspection tour, turned his
attention today to the farm prob
lem from the viewpoints of the ma
tional economy and the coming po-
litical campaign.
The first two presidential visitors
of the day were Earl C. Smith of the
Illinois Agricultural Association and
M. w. Thatcher, Farmers Union
leader, from st. Paul, MINI. They
saw Mr.. Roosevelt separately.
The two men went to the White
House from the Agriculture Depart
ment, where they are taking part
in the sessions of the Agricultural
Advisory Council with Secretary
Wallace, Mr.. Roosevelt's third-term
running mate.
First Meeting Since January.
The farm meeting with Mr.. WAL
lace was called as a conference on
current problems arising out of the
European war for American agri-
culture. The council was organized
last September to consider the rela-
ton of the American farmer to the
war.
Today's was the councils first
meeting since January. The coun-
Gil is composed of representatives
OF organized farm producers, proc
essors and distributors of food and
fiber Cotton, etc), the general pub
lie and organized labor.
Mr.. Roosevelt reached the White
House this morning after an all
night run up the river from Old
Point Comfort, Va, aboard the
presidential yacht Potomac.
Says Capital Will Feel Safer.
The President inspected naval and
air defense centers in the general
vicinity of Norfolk and around the
mouth of Chesapeake Bay.
One year from now Washington
will feel a whole lot safer" the
President said. He based his OBJ
servation on a seven-hour tour that
took him to the Norfolk Navy Yard,
the Norfolk fleet operating base
and naval air and training stations,
the coast artillery base at Fort
Monroe. the Army air base at Lang
ley Field and the Newport News
Shipbuilding and Drydock plant.
The effect of the presidential
Journey, which began Saturday,
was to draw the Nations attention
to its protection against aggression.
The President informed newspaper
men that he feels the success of an
attempt to invade the Capital as
the British did in the War of 1872
now would depend entirely on when
it came and who made the attack" :"
First in Series of Trips.
The Chesapeake tour was just the
first in a series of presidential de-
fense-inspection trips, Mr.. Roose-
welt indicated He said he plans to
make personal trips to Army bases,
aviation centers and other military
and naval positions.
The visit tc Norfolk Navy Yard
afforded him view of what has
been accomplished there since last
September by the expenditure of
$50 900 900 to accelerate recondition-
ing of old and construction of new
vessels.
At the Newport News Shipbuilding
& Drydock plant he saw work going
ahead on construction of battle
ship and an aircraft carrier. The
plant also is proceeding with plans
for building seven more carriers and
four light cruisers.
He saw 101 of the Army's best
combatant planes sweep majestically
in review at Langley Field, SKIM
ming along 100 feet above the run
ways. They included the worlds
biggest Army bomber, with wing
spread of $50 feet, and fleet P-40
pursuit ships which can cut through
the skies at close to 400 miles an
hour.
Guns Make Direct Hit.
He saw bristling seacoast defense
guns and, with cotton in his ears,
watched two anti-aircraft batteries
blast away at plane-towed targets.
A burst of 13-pound shells from
3-inch guns capable of Is shots
minute made a direct hit on a 90
foot sleeve" 5000 feet overhead,
but -millimeter guns hammering
away at 120 shots a minute missed
a closer target.
Appraising what he had seen, Mr..
Roosevelt told reporters he had OBJ
tanned a good eye demonstration
of what we have been doing for ma
tional defense since last summer" !"
In the last three years, he said,
facilities and activities at Langley
Field have quadrupled. In year,
he went on, work has increased ap-
proximately so per cent at the navy
yard, navy base and the Newport
News shipyard.
Describing his estimates as con-
servative, he added:
"This is just the beginning. We
are going to see lot more before