Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-18

gross are puttering around on
these four fears OF the farmer.
but as usual. with the accent
heavily on prices.
THAT they may. have the &C.
cent in the wrong place is
becoming daily more obvious in
the accommodating evidence.
Typical Of all plain farmers
mail is public letter from dirt
farmer Louis Bromficld, who
points out that inestimable thou
sands OF acres of soybeans. corn.
apples and even other products
lie rotting in the fields today
from last years crop-not be
cause of price, but because Of
lack Of help
Mr.. Bromf field fyes. the
author) says he found many
good farmer facing his uncer-
taintieS today with this Thoughts
II and my family are all righe
We will eat. When the ctr
people have not enough to O..
maybe Washington will do some
thing about the situation"
The advertising that the sit
uation has received makes GER
tain that Washington will do
something before that. but the
question is still whether il will
be the right thing or whether il
will just be another price in
crease or subsidy payment.
NO MATTER how high The
~ evidence from the farmer
grows, the farm politicians. like
others here. cannot seem 10 get
away from the notion that 10
cure any Deficiencies out in the
country. all they have 10 do is
TO push a price button up or
down.
Yet II the farm bloc boosts
lettuce 10 a dollar a leaf. il will
not increase the lettuce crop
unless the farmer gets help.
equipment and gasoline and in
case he does get these things he
can produce his food WITHOUT an
inordinately high infationary
price.
ONE ray Of hope is the slight
" weakening Of the army in ITS
stand against releasing any men
for the farm front
II may release battalions. but
not individuals. 10 do farm work.
Yet in England, the same
United States Army is allowing
its leepS 10 participate in plow-
ing the fields for spring planting.
Already the radicals teven the
C1O) are seeing their chance in
this situation.
They are publicly promoting a
more or less communal farm
program, which would create
state or county quasi-sovietS 10
pool help. machinery and gas.
Every one knows most of the
nations farmers already do this
in A neighborhood and demo-
cratic manner, and this demo-
cratic way can he extended
without creating a communal
organization in the Red way.
Unless -Snmc-pne-e fpes-tite-
farmers some certainty as TO the
future, the battle on the farm
front will be lost this spring in
planting.
FTHE heralded arrival Of the
L Richeheu and other French
warships at American ports was
a convincing tribute 10 the adj
ministration'S policy of expedi-
ency in playing ball with DarIan
in TuniSia.
Just day or so before OAR
Ian was shot. he made the
French governor Of Dakar come
through with the agreement re-
leasing these ships 10 us. They
will go into active combat serv-
ice on our side.
But more French warShipS are
in the harbor of Alexandria,
which the French commander
there has hecn- keeping beyond
reach of British fingers. He has
threatened 10 scuttle them at
the first British move. =
The British arc getting a little
annoyed at this situation. and
developments ward getting
better cooperation out Of that
Vichy commander may be ex-
pcctcd.
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