The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-09-17


the same type of specialization now
going on. The plan for Europe is
more complicated but since the
question of whether the people of
western Europe eat at all for the
next few years, depends largely on
what Russia, the United States and
the other grain producing countries
do, these countries may be able to
get western European countries to
do what we want.
According to the Midcontinent
planners, an arrangement should be
made whereby western Europe for
a period-perhaps is years-would
absorb our surplus wheat, pork,
lard and other farm products. Pro-
duction of these products would be
stopped in western Europe and re-
sources saved would be put to eff
ficient use. The producing countries
would assist in recognizing Euro
pean agriculture to this changeover.
The producing countries would also
agree to reduce certain tariffs SO
that the Europeans can pay for the
agricultural products they absorb
with goods they can make. (Of
course, there is the tough spot.)
AS for changeovers in agriculture,
it is pointed out that they are not
new. Minnesota was once the great
est wheat producing state in the
country. That is no longer true.
''Mixed farming" has greatly in
creased. Diversified farming rose in
Denmark and improved the standard
of her people-these changes come
about automatically because the new
type introduced pays better. Similar
changes, it is implied, could be
brought about by ukase, too.
Unfortunately, space does not per-
NIT detailed review of this report
but quite as important as its actual
content are the forces which initial
ed tin the first place, it brings to
our consciousness the mutual inter-
ests of this country and our northern
neighbor which are plain to any
American familiar with Canada and
her people but which many in both
countries ignore. Again, it shows
how groups in two separate coun-
tries can get together and work out
steps mutually beneficial and like
wise advantageous to the whole
world. The most important thing of
all, however, is the emphasis on the
fact that domestic problems are fire.
uuently international problems.
Diary of a Br0adcaster
Let me tell you Of another crazy
rumor story that I heard today. It
is so old that it has whiskers but
people up and down this land are
listening and believing it.
A reliable, otherwise hardheaded
man told me that an acquaintance
of his wife had friend or relative
who had letter from her boy, a
prisoner in Japan. The boy said
that he was being well treated and
then made reference to his stamp
collection.
He had none, so the remark got
the people to thinking-they repeat
ed it ''then the FIJI or somebody"
took the letter, steamed off the
stamp, and under it was written
Well, before the man finished tell
ing it, I said: 81 know what was
under it-They've cut my tongue
out"
How did / guess? Well, I heard
that story a dozen times in the last
World war.
But to make sure, / made a few
inquiries, simply to check the pro-
cedure. In the first place, prisoners
of war don't use stamps. They can't
write direct to their next of kin. The
messages all are relayed through
the International Red Cross anyhow.
Before we got into the last war, I
was sitting on top Of Fifth avenue
bus in New York, reading an article
by David Lawrence, which reported
how the department Of justice had
run down a story to the effect that
sweaters knitted for the Red Cross
were sold to soldiers. The bus
stopped-a Liberty Bond orator was
making speech listened. He
was telling the same story that the
department Of justice had run down
and found it had absolutely NO basis
whatever.
Remember this before you repeat
these charming fantasies. Enlist
ment in the WACS, as fine corps
of American women as were ever
gathered together, has been slowed
down by cheap and dirty story
made out Of whole cloth and passed
from one drooling lascivious mouth
to another.