Evening star., 1942-12-09
Southern Farmers
Will Vote Saturday
On Cotton Control
BuIIot to Test Sentiment
For Federal Restriction
Of Wartime Farm Produce
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
DiXieland farmers will vote Sat-
urday on whether they favor keep
ing the production and marketing
Of cotton under strict governmental
control for another year.
On that date the Agriculture De-
partment will hold referendum on
the question of continuing in 1943
rigid marketing quotas under which
It may tell farmers how much cot
ton they can sell.
The voting should provide a test
OF farmer sentiment on an issue be-
ing debated by agricultural leaders
on farm production should be elimi-
mated during wartime.
Danger of Excess.
Contending that there is a danger
Of accommodating excessive supplies
Of cotton at the expense of short
food supplies, the Agriculture De-
partment expresses belief that re-
strictions should be maintained on
the fiber crop to encourage farm
ers to grow and produce more things
to eat.
The department takes the position
that cotton production should be
held to a minimum because of short
ages of farm labor, machinery,
equipment and transportation facili-
ties. Manpower and other produc-
tive facilities which would go into
the production of extra cotton could
be used to a better advantage in
growing foods needed more urgently
than cotton, it says.
Some farm leaders contend that
all governmental restrictions of pro-
duction should be dropped for the
duration. Such stand was taken
by a majority of State agricultural
commissioners and secretaries at a
meeting held here recently. They
argued that in wartime it Is not
possible to have too many agri-
cultural products. They predicted
that starved and ragged Europe
would need all the food and cotton
this country could possibly supply
when the war is over.
This years above average crop
and surpluses from other years have
provided the United States with suf-
ficient cotton to meet its needs for
about two years. Because of the
war conditions, exports have dwin-
died to a dribble
Acreage Specified.
The department is asking that
only about 22500,000 acres be plant
ed to cotton next year. This years
acreage totaled 24,005 900. In some
past years as many as 100000
acres were planted.
Under the crop control program
the department gives each farmer
planting allotment. He may sell
the cotton grown on this allotted
acreage. Cotton sold from land in
excess of the allotted acreage is
subject to marketing penalty
equivalent to about half the market
price. Likewise only those farmers
who plant within their allotments
are eligible for maximum Govern
ment benefit payments and loans on
their cotton.
The Department is urging farmers
to put some of their cotton land to
growing peanuts and livestock feed
crops or to special types of long
staple cotton needed for making
parachutes and other war mate
rials. Peanuts may be processed
into vegetable oil used in making
food shortening, salad oils and mar
garine.
The United States needs to pro-
duce more vegetable oils than ever
before because it has lost important
sources Of supply in areas now held
by the japanese in the Western
Pacific.
However, cottonseed is good
source of vegetable oil. Soybeans
are another Those farm leaders
who urge unlimited production of
cotton emphasize that cottonseed is
a source of edible vegetable oil and
livestock feed. That portion of the
seed remaining after the oil has
been extracted makes a good pro-
tein feed for cattle and hogs
Upwards of 2225 900 farmers in
10 Southern and Southwestern
States will be eligible to vote in
the referendum. Polling places will
be established in schoolhouses,