Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-11
Wickard Is Accused
OF Ordering Drive
For Incentive Funds
BushfieId Says Secretor,
Instructs Form Agents
To Wire Legislators

Senator Bushfield, Republican, O.
South Dakota, charging that Secre.
taTy OF Agriculture Wickard has be-
come "panicky" over the food situa-
ton, said yesterday the Secretary hac
ordered his farm agents throughout
the country to lombard Congress
with kilograms and letters to stand
behind him" in his request for $780,
100000 for incentive payments to
food producers.
The former Governor of South
Dakota further charged that the
SeCretary'S policy of scarcity had
"enptled the granaries of America
His farm agents organization has
been promising those payments to
the producers for several weeks, al
though Congress has taken no &C
ton upon it he added.
Congress will not have to appro-
pirate money to make good Mr.
WiCkard's failure Mr.. Bushfield
claimed, if the Government will put
a price floor under food production
to protect the farmer in his costs.
and turn him loose with the in
centive of good prices provided by
the undefeatable law of supply and
demand"
Farm Bloc Fights Program.
The congressional farm bloc has
opposed incentive payments, with
some critics of the Wickard pro-
poSal maintaining it would give the
Government complete control over
farmers benefting by the pay
ments. Like Mr.. Bushfeld, the bloc
has held out for better prices.
The administration, however, is
opposed to any such concession on
the grounds it would lead to inf1a-
ton. Economic Sterilization Di-
rector James F. ByrneS is known to
be opposed to the move.
Meanwhile the Agriculture De-
partment reported that yields in six
early truck crops were running be-
low expectations in the face of in
creased demand for fresh fruits and
vegetables resulting from canned
food rationing.
The report blamed abnormally
cold weather in some Southern and
Southwestern States during most of
last week. Temperatures there were
the lowest of the winter. The freeze
will set back production for weeks,
department spokesman said,
though claiming overall production
will not be materially changed.
Damage Listed.
The freeze follows a similar con-
dltion in Florida last month during
which vegetable damage ran into
several million dollars. The depart
ment listed the following damage
suffered last week:
Mississippi-In one area Is to 40
per cent loss of green peas and cab
bage, IS to 10 per cent damage to
tomato plants but reserve supply
available.
MISUNDERSTANDING delayed,
light damage to potatoes.
Louisiana-StraWberries set back
with no shipments before April /:
young beets severely damaged; snap
beans, potatoes and young cabbage
slightly damaged
Texas-Southern regions believed
not serious; Austin area, severe
damage to spinach; northern region.
onions severely damaged; other
areas, delays of several weeks in veg
etable production.
Egg, Milk Record Set.
From the Federal Crop Reporting
Board yesterday however, came en-
couraging reports of egg and milk
production during February. These
two products are being sought in
greater quantities for war needs.
New records were established last
month despite shortages of farm
labor and machinery, the board said
and food experts expressed optimism
that milk production might exceed
1925 record output of 1l9 900 900 900
pounds.
Early this week, however. the Ma
tional Cooperative Milk Producers
Federation maintained that milk
output would be several billion
pounds below last year, although
the department was asking for 1922
000000,000 pounds.
The output of milk last month was
estimated at 8,330,000,000 pounds.
compared with 8,299 100000 in the
same month of last year and with
the average February production of
7,404,00G,000 during the l937-l94l
period. The total produced during
100000 pounds, compared with IT,
O35,000,000 in the corresponding
months last year.
Egg production in February was
estimated at 38l 100000 dozen, an
increase of 10 per cent over the rec
ord output Of February last year.
Production reached peak levels in all
parts Of the country except in the
West