Evening star., 1942-12-12
Grange Leader Calls
Farm Deferments Il
Setup Inadequate I,
Food for Victory Program
Tremendous Task for
U. S., Wiekord Says

U. S., Wickord Says
Steps taken by the Government
to defer essential farm workers from
the draft appeared to be inadequate
to assure farmers sufficient man
power to meet food production goals
for the coming year, Fred Brenck-
man, Washington representative Of
the National Grange, declared here
yesterday.
The farm leaders assertion cams
as the Agriculture Department is
sued report starting the shortages
Of labor were already leading to
short cuts and adjustments" in
farm activities, resulting in tenden-
cies to reduce production.
In a broadcast over the National
Broadcasting Co. network last night
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard
asserted the United States Is up
against tremendous task" in sup
plying food for victory, and warned
that "if we slip up anywhere along
the line we will be in serious
trouble"
Standards Called Too Difficult.
Mr.. Brenckman claimed that adj
visory standards for deferring farm
workers as recommended by the
Agriculture Department were too
difficult to meet, ard added that
these guides appeared to nullify "to
all practical intent and purposes"
the "Tydings amendment to the
Teen-age Draft Act. The Mary
land Democrat was author of the
amendment authorizing deferment
of essential farm workers.
I'm my personal opinion there are
comparatively few farm workers
who, through their own personal
and direct efforts, could qualify for
deferred classification under the
rules that have been laid down." Mr..
Brenckman said.
The Agriculture Department has
recommended to selective services
that any person. "Who through his
own personal and direct efforts Is
responsible for the production of 16
war units of essential farm prod
ucts, may be properly considered as
a person necessary to and regularly
engaged in an agricultural occupa-
ton or endeavor essential to the
war effort"
Mr.. Brenckman, In communica-
ton to Grange secretaries of the
Nation, has drawn an illustration of
how the plan might work on
lOO-acre farm. In order to achieve
l6 war units or better through his
own personal and direct efforts. the
Grange official estimated his farmer
would have to produce the follow.
ing:
Twenty-Five acres Of hay and
legumes, Is acres of wheat, Is acres
of corn. 10 acres OF oats, acres Of
dry edible beans, 5 acres of Irish
potatoes, and would have to raise 6
milk cows, 20 hogs, IL beef cattle, 80
sheep and 100 chickens. In addition
he would have Is acres of pasture
and woodlot, for which there is no
war credit, and would need three
horses, also without war credit.
Must Earn Deferment.
For this the farmer would be
credited with 1885 war units, Mr..
Brenckman safd.- adding: From
this 1t will be seen that those who
get deferred classifcations as essen.
tial farm workers will have to
earn It,"
Mr.. Brenckman said 1t was Of
course proper for the Agriculture
Department to give the heaviest
weighing to those crops and products
most urgently needed for war pur-
poses, and that 1t was likewise proper
for selective service to ask the de-
partment to formulate criteria for
the enforcement of the Tydings
amendment.
But he added "The question is
whether or not the standards set
by the department are reasonable
and workable. If not, then the will
OF Congress is being nullified
through administrative procedure 81
In his radio address Secretary
Wlckard, the Nations food director
asserted that the war was bringing
the greatest demand for American
| Aoou we nave ever Known.
Careful Management Needed.
"In the best of times these great
needs would tax our capacity to
turn out food. In wartime a spe-
cial set of obstacles stands in the
way of food production. processing
and distribution, Mr.. Wickard con-
tinued. ut will take careful man.
agement to hold up our end of the
battle for food next year and the
years that follow.
IF we slip up anywhere along the
line. we will be in serious trouble.
Our job won't be easy. AS for my
part in it, I want to say frankly that
I don't know all the answers
Short cuts in farm production re-
ported by the department yesterday
include failure to pick up cotton as
closely as usual, to gather low quail
ity fruit and to harvest some of the
hay crop. Some dairy herds. de-
pendent on hired labor, have been
dispersed, particularly in areas close
to munitions plants, where wages are
more attractive. the department
found.