The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1943-03-04
THROUGH
HAzEI
{ 5
* LAZEI BRANNoN

LA-1 O1s<AAN
Secretary of Agriculture Claude
X. Wickard made this statement IN
the past few days:
Il regret very much indeed that a
House Appropriations Subcommittee
today rejected the program which
calls for 100,0O0,000 Tor incentive
payments to farmers who increase
their production in l943 Of peanuts,
soybeans, flax, potatoes, dried beans,
dried peas, truck crops, grain sor-
ghums and sweet potatoes.
From the standpoint of most
farmers who are now completing
plans for this years production, ! do
not think. the action could have
come at a worse time, or in a more
discouraging fashion. Undoubtedly,
many producers will require add
tionai returns in order to increase
their production Of war crops, and
almost without exception u reports
from the field indicate that farmers
had responded ~favorably to the IN
eentive program. Farmers planned
to produce more because the pro-
gram not only promised an Increased
return to cover increased costs but
promised also a large measure OF
crop insurance against the risks OF
high cost production.
Nevertheless, we are not going to
-
reduce the goals which were n
creased at the time the incentive
payment program was announced.
We are not going to do this for sew
eral One is that the action
on the payment is not final and l
am hopeful that the increased re-
turns to producers necessary for in
creased production eventually Will
he Forthcoming. Another is that we
depend upon the patriotism Of the
farmers to meet the increased goals
regardless of the uncertainties now
prevailing. Therefore, ! appeal to
Farmers not to change their plans
but to increase their production OF
vital war commodities to their limit.
Meantime, we viii promise to do all
that we a to get farmers badly
needed labor, machinery, fertilizer
and other materials necessary for
production
If the nations farmers are to pro-
duce what is necessary for victory
somehow and some way very soon
we must have a clear-cut policy de-
fined by someone in authority. There
is so much conflict involving the
farmer and his production problems
now that he does not know where
he stands. This muddle cannot go
on forever if we are to feed our
selves and our army let alone
the world.
If Sec. Wickard cannot do the job
then the President should appoint
someone who can. There is moth
ing more important to an army than
food. We must have a man at the
head Of the food program in Wash
ington who knows what must be
done and how to get it done.
The f owing excerpt from the
Congressional Record on 1.-THE har
ward Class-icks" may or may not
explain some of the things that are
wrong with the country at the
present time John Rankin speak
ing): -.
"Let me say to the lady from ILL
nois (Miss Sumner) that since she
was in Massachusetts in 1920 Har-
ward has developed a new technique
She is turning out denatured Amer
leans now that would surprise you.
Some of them can teach the farmers
how to milk ducks, show a blacksmith
how to weld a wooden handle to a
pewter spoon, train one to extract
sunbeams from cucumbers, or to
manufacture gunpowder out OF ice
"Some Of them can graft a dead
bough to a living trunk and make
it blossom as the rose, mix oil and
water together placidly in the same
bottle, and make boon companions OF
the spider and the fQy-to say moth.
ing of their superb efficiency in pro-
noting social gains.
Indeed, they are making for us
new world"
--