The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-02-28
GEN < RAJ.
HUGH 3.
JOHN SON
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Washington, d. O.

that the department of agriculture
is now considering the ''two-price"
system of disposing Of farmers
crops-both as to domestic and for
eign consumption.
For export trade it will buy up
the surplus which no home market
consumes and sell it abroad for the
best price it will bring. To in
crease domestic consumption, it will
extend the food-stamp plan for sur
plus products, which is also q two
price" system giving lower prices
to the poor to insure an adequate
diet to all our people and to remove
the American reproach of "starva-
ton in the midst of plenty"
As I understand it, although the
details are not yet plain, the pub
lie, all of us, will pay for the dis
count below market prices on the
food stamp sale Of butter, eggs,
citrus and other fruits, meats and
fresh vegetables-and even cotton
for the poor. I can't see much the
matter with that, much as ] dislike
the growing cost of government.
This column began boosting the
food-stamp plan long before 1t was
announced and as soon as Henry
Wallace told me about it. My only
regret was that / had not thought
of it first.
/ believe George Peek and did
think first of the "tWo-price" system
on export surplus-way back in 1921.
It is almost necessary corollary OF
our tariff system. We have MAIN
tanned here partly by the tariff,
structure of prices far above that
of the rest of the world. No tariff
and no purely domestic device can
keep on that high level the prices
Of surplus crops-wheat, cotton and
animal fats. This is because the
price Of the surplus fixes the price
of the whole crop whether sold
abroad or at home-and nothing
that can be done at home can pre-
vent that dire result.
The net effect is that, while all
the rest of our people enjoy the high
er American standards, the farmer
producing the export crops is thrust
outside our tariff walls. In equity
there is no argument against his
having parity price" Zone for
what he sells on the domestic mar
ket on the same high level charged
for what he buys) but there is no
good argument for his receiving such
a high price for what he produces In
excess of domestic requirements
which must be sold in export.
There are only two alterna-
tives, and one of them is abortive.
The sensible one is that now sug-
gested, to insure an American price
for the part of the crop consumed
at home and to sell the surplus for
what it will bring. The other is
what has been attempted for the
past eight years-to jimmy up the
American price for the whole crop
by loans, by restriction on acreage.
by storing manageable surplus,
and other inventions.
It kept UP precariously the Amer
lean price, but it constantly threat
ened the American markets by ac-
cumulating an unmanageable sur
plus. 1t priced American farm
products out of world markets they
had enjoyed for a century.
WILKES sBLITZ'
Mr.. Willlxie was asked, on land
ing, for comment on my statement
that he had only been permitted to
see what British authorities wanted
him to see. His reply was that !
didn't know what was talking
about.
OF course, never said anything
remotely resembling that. I said
that he, had been completely adj
vised by the voice of hard-bitten ex-
perience how to make effective the
kind Of pilgrimage on which he was
embarked.
He was advised Gas we all know
now that Winston Churchill is the
most adroit advocate Of our time,
and perfectly and properly. He
was advised to listen to him. re-
specially and then say, If familiari-
ties had progressed so far: "Well,
Winnie our hearts are all with you
but you are a iton-praise God,
half American-and I want to 60
home as all-American and make
realistic report to the American
people.
only criticized Mr.. Willlxie for
not doing that, but exposing himself
to every emotional impulse mot for
seeing only what the British gov
eminent wanted him to see. I be-
ieve that they would haveswithheld
nothing from him. He elected the
emotional, spectacular and blitz-
publicity role. He took what he was
told from Mr.. Churchill. He con-
tented himself with an exploration
of British fortitude, which we Of
British birth took for granted.
He did it a time when one Of the
most serious pieces of legislation
ever presented to our people was
before our congress. He became q
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