The Wilmington morning star., 1942-05-17
BY OVID A. MARTIN.

WAoHlNGION, May 16.-(Wlde
World.-A streamlined farm pro.
gram designed to meet the ma.
tons basic food needs and to
provide supplementary supplies
for its Allies until the spring Of
1914 is being formulated by Secre.
tary Wickard and his Agriculture
department aides. 1t would elirni-
nate all non-essential crops.
The program is based on this
general thesis:
Americans must abandon any
complacency they may have about
the food situation, because short
ages may develop. Production diff
ficulties arising from the war may
make it impossible for farmers to
produce as much in 1943 as they
are expected to produce this year.
The demand for food, on the other
hand, may be much larger.
The program consequently will
call upon farmers to concentrate
on the production of such vital
products as livestock feed crops,
soybeans and peanut for vegetable
oils, fruits, vegetables, sugar beets
and sugar cane for sugar, meat
animals, dairy and poultry prod
ucts, and long-staple cotton.
The 1884 production problem will
be laid before conference OF
agricultural adjustment agency
farmer committeeman from the 4e
states to be held at Chicago on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
These committeeman will be ask.
ed to suggest ways and means Of
making Federal crop programs
operate more effectively in secur-
ing the necessary food output
Their suggestions will be used by
the department in the formulation
Of the 1943 AAA food program.
Officials predict farmers will
| have to operate under extreme d1.
ficulties next year. because OF
growing shortages Of labor, fer
tilizer. farm machinery equipment
tires for tractors and trucks, gaso-
line, and other supplies.
Because of these shortages. the
1943 farm program will provide
for the mobilization Of every tllleo
acre. every hour of farm labor
every sack of fertilizer. and every
piece of farm equipment or tne
production of those products neec-
ed most. Production of lnneces.
sarv crops or of commodities OF
which there are surplnses would De
branded as ''wastefu1'' production.
Officials said the Chicago confer
ence would seek to ascertain the
attitude of farmers toward a sharr
change in financial phases OF the
crop programs. This year. as IN
everv year since the programs
we're offered government bene1l'
payments for curtajling production
of commodities of which there were
above-normal reserves.
The 1943 program may cut Gown
on such payments and offer insteao
.incentive'' subsidies for increased
production of vital food products.
Officials explained that under
normal conditions, with the econo.
mic laws of supply and demand
operating with minimum OF re-
strictions prices Of the products
needed most would tend to rise
sufficiently to encourage their pro-
duction and to discourage the pro-
duction of commodities already IN
abundance or not needed in in
creased quantities.
Government price ceilings, how.
ever. tend to stabilize prices OF al
farm products at about the same
level. Thus, prices alone may ne
longer offer sufficient incentives
for farmers to shift from the pro
d,1ction of some crops to others
mr. to put in extra effort to secure
an enlarged output. Crop shl1t'
and extra production often involve
greater expenditures as well as
changes in a farmers customary
operating pattern.
While approving price ceilings as
move to help prevent Initiation
Secretary Wickard has said tha'
they may, in some instances als
courage the production OF vita
farm products. On the other hand
the price administrators office mas
indicated that it would be slow te
make adjustments in price orcets
because one change would lead 1e
pressure for many others. ,
Agriculture department Official:
say the 1943 program may provide
one or several mechanisms whicf
would permit the retention OF pres
ent price ceilings and yet preven