Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-04-24

of sugar during the
current year. In Ssss
order to get cross
section of opinions ~ ~ B. .!yS u
in Washington l have interviewed the
Department of Agriculture and others
who should be in position to give
reliable information.
1t is rumored that the Department
of Agriculture contemplates remov-
ing all limitations on domestic sugar
production during the current crop
year. This would materially increase
the supply and, incidentally add to
the great sugar surplus that we now
have. Should retail prices advance
in an appreciate degree the govern
ment undoubtedly would arrange to
increase imports from Cuba and the
Philippines so it would seem that
every known factor points against
an increase in price, hence it is safe
to assume that the present price level
will not be increased to any great
extent.
Wants More Eggs.
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard
is anxious to increase the nations
egg production by about six per cent,
or approximately 300 million dozens,
during the next Is months. This,
he says, can be accomplished by bet
ter feeding and filling poultry houses
to capacity.
About three weeks ago the Adj
ministration arbitrarily set the maxi
mum price of eggs at &c dozen at
Chicago, which means about 18 or
10 cents in Minnesota. 1t is said
that this price will remain in effect
until June, 1943.
To fix a rigid price level on COM
modities whose production levels vary
so greatly as that of eggs seems to
me to be unsound. There is no money
in 18 or 10 cent eggs that are pro-
duced during the winter months when
the bulk of the feed must be pur-
chased. The Administration would
have done better to have fixed a
sliding scale that would permit of a
fair profit to egg producers at all
seasons of the year.
If ceiling is to be placed on the
price of everything that the farmer
produces, then as matter of simple
justice similar action should be taken
with those things that he must buy.
Today the spread between the two
groups is altogether too great.
Who are the Advisers?
A great deal of interest pervades
the country during these critical times
as to who actually are the close
advisers of President Roosevelt. Who
is helping to shape or influence his
decisions? The country knows, of
course, that Harry Hopkins is one of
the men who is very close to him.
Supreme Court Justice Felix Frank
furter is another one of his close
advisers Bernard L. Baruch is an
other; Judge Sam Rosenman, long
time friend of the President, is an
other. Next to these come ranking
Admirals and Generals.
Harry Hopkins is probably the
| C1OSCSt dllu lllOSl llllHOl tcaiit VI 1tOOoS-
velt's aides. He is said to be the
policy maker or adviser on foreign,
financial and business control policies.
There is no question but that Hop
kinS must have great influence
upon the President, otherwise Mr..
Roosevelt would not keep Hopkins
so close to his elbow, even to the
extent of having him live at the
White House. Many believe that
Hopkins has taken the place and as
sumed the relationship both in
Roosevelt's official life and in his
personal affections formerly occupied
by the now deceased Louis Howe.
His position has also been described
as similar to that of Colonel House
in the Wilson administration.
On foreign policy wide variety
of influences naturally converge on
the President Cordell Hull, Secre-
tary of State, and Sumner Welles,
Under Secretary of State, are, of
course, among the Presidents close
advisers. Also there are military
and naval intelligence officers, Ameri-
can and foreign diplomats who sit
in with him. However, President
Roosevelt, finally, is his own Secre-
tary of State.
On matters of financial policy Hen
ry Morgenthau, Secretary of the
Treasury, is the most important adj
wiser. Next to Hopkins, Morgen-
thau sees President Roosevelt oftener
than anybody else. He is said to be
the most successful in getting his
ideas accepted. But, it is said that
Roosevelt is inclined to let Congress
more or less write its own ticket on
taxes and that he is not imbued with
any reform ideas in that field at the
present time. He is too concerned
and interested in the war situation.
On matters of business control it is
probable that Bernard Baruch sees
President Roosevelt most often He
and Sam Rosenman and Felix Frank
furter undoubtedly give Roosevelt
more advice on business affairs than
any other three men in the country.
Baruch is very definite in his recon-
mendations of what the President