The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-05-20
THE FARM BLOC

The FARM BLOC
The worlds largest agricultural
nations-the United states, Argen'
tina, Canada and Australia-are
being considered by government
economists as a potential nucleus
for an international farm bloc to
wage economic warfare against
the AXIS.
The theory is that while the war
continues it would help the Brit
ish TO blockade the Axis by de-
Clining TO ship food to Europe.
After the war it might help to
meet the Axis barter system OF
trade
These four great farm nations
have a virtual monopoly on the
worlds surplus food supply-wheat,
maize, mutton, wool and hides
as well as countless minerals, but
10 corner that supply will be
something Of problem. A most
vital feature OF such an interna-
tional cooperative farm bloc would
be to help feed the starving mil
lions expected to follow the war.
The plan has been discussed In
the economic conference in South
America involving Argentina and
Uruguay, and it was advanced in
Washington during the presence
OF Argentine Foreign Minister
Enrique RuiEGuinazu. and shortly
after the visit of Australian Prime
Minister Robert Gordon Menzies.
The idea, II IL can be made work
able, will At In with the Admins
tration's hope to wage an about
economic war against the Axis in
this hemisphere. Such an interna-
tional farm bloc among nations
that heretofore have competed in
the world markets for sale Of
their exportabls SURPRISES might
provide a means OF reducing the
huge South American farm sur
pluses that are accommodating.
Argentina's economy has been
virtually wrecked by the war
Formerly the Argentine producers
sold most OF their wheat and meat
10 Great Britain, but ships that
formerly piled between Buenos
Aires and Liverpool now are in
The North Atlantic carrying NUM-
tons from the United States.
Regardless OF the wars out.
come, such bloc Of farm eoHn-
tries would be OF world wide value,
~ properly controlled. inasmuch as
II would form a basis upon which
TO solve individual surplus and
marketing problems. The difficulty
is TO make 1t work. A move for
cooperative control OF world farm
markets was begun in 1888 and
1889 at the London International
Wheat Conference, but the plan
for apportioning world wheat mar.
kets was strapped at the outbreak
OF the war.
Canada, for instance, Is esti-
mated to have enough wheat to fill
all OF its own and Britain's needs
for more than year. The United
States, with 100000 900 bushels of
wheat already in its storage bins,
oAGNAPoNtb cOosVOUsOOU Dubn6l
crop this year. That would make
total OF s1,24s,o00,000 bushels.
The normal domestic consumption
is 725,000,000 bushels. This would
mean a surplus OF 1000, 900 bush
els at the end of this crop year
n lot OF wheat, representing a lot
OF growers and a wide diversity OF
opinion and selfish ambition.
On q voluntary basis such a plan
Is hopeless. There must be con-
troll either by force or general
incentive. So long as England
stands there 10 possibility OF
forceful union for all countries
mentioned excepting Argentina.
There the best offer wins-that is
the offer which appeals most 10
the men In power. IL looks like a
money proposition and that means
more big contributions from the
United States. The international
farm bloc plan then, II seems, car
be made effect1re n the British
are hard enough pressed to be
willing to pool their interests with
the United States and II the United
States furnishes enough money tc
buy the produce OF Argentina
Even on those germs the plar
may be worth trying. It would be
a step toward the world wide co
operation that must come before
We can have peace.
This idea Of world wide unity o.
purpose. common interests ant
common ideals. In what Mr.. Hitle,
Is using for his sales talk as h,
picks OF one nation after another
Judging by the way most OF them
even France, has bowed to hi,
domination, he is me worlds all
time best salesman.