Evening star., 1941-03-03
u. 5. Wheat Expert
Will Fly TO Britain
On Secret Mission
Mon Who Cove Russio
Moss Production Advice
Confers With Roosevelt
BY the Associated Press.

BY tne Associated Ftees.
Thomas D. Campbell, the mass
production wheat specialist who gave
Soviet Russia expert advice for the
first five-year plan, will fly to Eng
land this week on a mission shroud-
ed in secrecy.
A rangy. gray-haired Montanan,
Mr.. Campbell has spent the last
month here, calling frequently at
the White House for confidential
talks with President Roosevelt, and
comforting with a number of top
ranking administration officials
He insisted, however, that he could
not discuss the purpose of his trip
abroad.
I'm going over as a private citi-
zen," said Mr.. Campbell, who re-
putedly is this country's largest
wheat producer. 81 expect to take
look at things over there and prob
ably will confer with the Minister
of Agriculture and some other Off
cials."
Mr.. Campbell indicated he would
travel on a special passport.
II guess I've got the same kind
they gave Wendell Willkie," he
grinned, displaying it.
Mr.. Campbell is the first major
American expert on food production
to go to England, as far as is known.
However, when asked how and why
his trip was arranged, he was en-
phatic that there is no official con-
nection with any person or any
government"
Discussion here in recent weeks
has touched several times on Eng
lands food problem in view of the
intensifying war on her shipping,
and the possibility she would need
supplies from the United States.
Mr.. Campbelrs projected trip, COM
ing at this time, aroused some spec
ulation that his mission might be
to direct an emergency attempt at
mass production Of wheat in the
British Isles.
Points to Surplus Here.
Mr.. Campbell declined to COM
ment on this, but he did point out
that in the United States and Can
ada a huge surplus of wheat-per-
haps 80O,000,0O0 bushels-existed.
Other stocks of the grain are avail
able in Australia and South Amer
lea.
The wheat expert said he would
leave New York Wednesday by.
clipper, and expects to be gone
"about two months" He plans to
confer in New York today or tomor-
row with John J. Raskob, flnancier,
whom he calls my partner" He
explained that he and Mr.. Raskob
are joint owners of a 400, 0,000-acre
tract of farm and grazing land in
New Mexico.
Although uncommunicative about
his trip to England. the tall West
erner talked freely about his expert
ments with mass production of
wheat here and in Russia.
Thought He Was crazy.
"They thought I was crazy when
I first tried to industrialize wheat
production" he said with a laugh.
II got sick and tired of seeing farm
ers work eight hours a day and then
eight more hours to try and grow
crop"
That was more than 80 years ago
and Mr.. Campbell's large-scale
wheat operations eventually won
world wide attention. In 1929 the
Soviet called him to help them start
their vast "five-year plan" of state
farms with modern tractors, COM
bines and other mass-scale tech
nique.
Mr. Campbell made three trips to
Russia over the five-year period and
met Josef Stain and other leaders.
They told me was the first for
eigner ever to talk with Stalin," Mr..
Campbell said. 'I thought he was
the smartest leader in Europe at the
time. I still think Russia may be
the greatest power for peace"