Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-09
Food Ou+pu+
Apt to Peril
U. S. in 1914
Farm Denied Protection
Given Industry, Labor
BY PAUL MAILON

w Masses of mail from farm
ers are accommodating on official
desks here In such tone and
volume to verify suspicious
that food production will not
come up to quotas this year.
The farm bloc is out OF the
news. silently attempting to de-
wise a workable farm help cam
paign in lieu of Mr.. McNutt's
proposal TO muster civilian
army of unskilled farm workers.
The bloc is about talked out.
especially on the subject OF
prices. which are apparently not
the root of the trouble this
time.
In addition to the obvious
farm manpower problem, the
mail points out many other rea-
sons why the farmer cannot
plant enough for the nations
needs. Farm machinery has
been soldered. baling wired and
tied with a rope for so long that
IL WPB increases repair allot-
ments, il still will not be eff
ficient.
LIVESTOCK and poultry pro-
IL duction cannot easily be in
creased because feeding stand
ards have necessarily dimin-
ished. Feed companies cannot
get enough oil meals and better
high production feeds.
Then again. there Is the old
problem of farmers gas ration
ing, which needs to be corrected.
With butcher and grocery
shops here covering over their
icebox windows with black
cloth, and their shelves empty
of most meats and canned vege-
tables, IL seems quite possible
that the food production short
age OF 1913 will be appalling
and. in 1914. may approach
disaster.
All that Food Gar Wickard
has been doing about II so far
Is to allocate 100000, 900 or so
for government purchase Of
vegetables at high prices TO be
resold at lower prices. the tax
payers to stand the loss for this
method Of increasing production.
That this bonus method OF
production expansion will not
serve its purpose is evident from
the fact that II does not furnish
the farmer with what his mail
says he needs-skilled nclp.
equipment and gasoline.
IT is increasingly evident 10
interested congressman that the
government should have de-
clared agriculture an essential
war industry at the start and
given the farmer the encourage
ment and leadership that was
given industry and labor for
production.
DIFFICULTY Of getting Mexi-
~ can labor for American
farms is well illustrated by the
inside story of what happened
to block the move last fall.
The farm bloc blamed the
Farm Security Administration.
which. in turn, blamed the state
department. which followed the
usual course and blamed Farm
Security for the original failure
TO negotiate a prompt agree
ment with the Mexican govern
ment.
After some weeks OF such
bouncing the ball back and
forth. Farm Security sent a
delegation TO Mexico City to
write up a contract. The dele 4
CATION at one time is supposed
TO have reached the colossal
strength of AZ able-bodied
American negotiators.
They found the Mexican gov
eminent wanted its workers to
have an eight-hour day, COM
pensation above usual farm
rates, modern sanitary facilities,
etc. Mexico intended to impose
the maximum hour provisions
right back at us.
But limited solution Of some
nature seemed likely TO be full
filled until IL developed that the
laborers solicited for American
farm work were largely taxi
drivers and barflies from the
Mexican streets and bars. Mex
leo had. no real farm labor in
quantity which it was willing to
spare.
DEMOCRATIC House Leader
~ Mccormack looked dolefully
at the approved resolution Of
the rules committee allowing
congressional investigation of
the orders Of any bureau, and
even, theoretically, the Presi-
dent, to see il they are legal,
and said:
81 am not the leader Of this
House."
Truly, the southern Demo-
Gratis and Republicans have
assumed leadership in all that
has been done so far this session
(Virginia's representative, How
ard Smith, was behind the rules
committee action). The new
congressman and, apparently,
many OF the old, have the con-
Tction, as one said:
Tho people sent us down hero
TO do q Job on the bureaucrats
and we are going to do It."
Action along that line will
accelerate from now m al 4