Evening star., 1942-01-26
Farmers Will Meet
! War Needs, Wickard
Assures Roosevelt
Secretary Predicts Crops
This Year Will Exceed
Record 1941 Yield
BY the Associated Press.

Americas farm productive ma
chinery has been shifted from low
to high gear, Secretary of Agri-
culture Wickard said today, to as
sure a maximum supply of food and
fiber for those fighting the world
battle for democracy and civiliza-
ton"
This accomplishment, he said, was
no small one, considering that farm
ers as well as agricultural officials
had for years been saturated with
thoughts of crop surplus problems" "
In his annual report to President
Roosevelt the cabinet oficer said
agriculture's speedup program
brought about a record production
of farm products in 1941 and pre-
dicted an even greater output this
year to meet an expanding demand
at home and from this country's
Allies abroad.
Labor Is Scarce.
Secretary Wickard said farmers
faced this years increased produc-
ton goals with a growing shortage
of farm labor, machinery and other
means of production.
Despite the handicaps," the Sec
retary said, I'VE are ready for the
ordeal. Foresight and statesman
ship have given us an ever-normal
granary, stored with feeds that can
be converted into foods. Foresight
and craftsmanship have provided
us a Nationwide farm adjustment
system, which functions as well in
high as in low gear and which is
capable of mobilizing the resources
of almost every farm"
1t is the duty, he said, of the
Agriculture Department and of
farmers to make fullest use of these
facilities, with national safety
rather than agricultural advantage
as the goal"
Mr.. Wickard asked farmers to
view war problems from the ma
tional rather than from their group
interest. Sharply increased pro-
duction of food. for example, in
wolves some risks for agriculture, he
said.
World War / Recalled.
Many farmers remember the sur
pluses that followed World War !
and fear a similar aftermath again"
he continued. In vital respects,
however, the situation is different |
now In the first place. the danger |
to our Nation is greater. If Ger
many wins it will either throttle |
our export trade altogether or will
take our goods merely as prepara-
ton for an attack upon us.
In the second place, our farm
program, forged out of the prob
lens left by the last World War, is
strong enough to meet the strains
of the new postwar period, and to
keep the production program well
in hand More important still, vic
tory for democracy will postpone the
need for readjustments- downward
in our own farm production. 1t will
give us transition market and Will
facilitate gradual changes toward a
peacetime basis"
Mr.. Wickard also cautioned farm
ers against a "high-price" policy,
declaring that advances beyond a
certain point might hamper the war
program. He re-asserted his. belief
in the adequacy of parity price goals
set up in the 1898 Farm Act These
goals have been reached for most
commodities, he said.
Efforts to push farm prices above
parity may endanger the parity
principle ITSELF" he said. THE ma
tional farm program, with its COM
modify loans and its parity and con-
servation payments, has had full
support UP to now of the general
public and of consumers. This is
because it has been fair. Attempts
to raise farm prices out of line with
other prices; and to bolster them
with artificial scarcity, might prove
disastrous.
Trade Treaties Defended.
The Secretary asked also that
farmers take national view of this
country's efforts to improve trade
relations with Latin and South
America through trade agreements.
While conceding that such agree
ments often rub sore spots on agri-
cultures skin and stir old preju-
dices," Mr. Wickard denied that they
were harmful to American farmers.
He argued that they opened up new
markets for all types of American
products.
Farmers should remember" he
declared. that the agreements have
more than an economic justification.
They are the pillars in our hemi-
sphere defense - vital safeguards
against Nazi penetration, both COM
mercial and military"
Looking to the day of victory.
the Secretary said the United States
must be prepared to send large
quantities of food and agricultural
supplies to Europe, or be prepared to
Wrestle with new forces of destruc-
tion.
1t will pay the United States to
help, If we have the assurance that |
the result will be long peace rather
than new civil or international war"
he said. Under our lend-lease pro-
gram now we are providing foods
and munitions to repel aggression.
The same logic will suggest the use
of foods to guard against repeti-
tion of the danger of revolutionary
upheavals in Europe.
Warns Against Price Initiation.
Payment for such help, he said,
may not be Immediately in goods or
gold, but simply collaboration in
world healing.
"As SUCH" he said, lit might be
highly acceptable
Mr.. Wickard's report warned
against price imitation, and of its
possible effects on agriculture. He
expressed the opinion that it could
be checked and possibly stopped by
a combination of price controls and
Government fiscal policy.
Actually, most farmers oppose
inflated prices; for themselves they
want only fairs prices-now and
later" he said. "As long as the
parity principle works they have
that benefit. Parity prices of
course must rise with other prices: