Evening star., 1944-10-28
Text Of Deweys Speech on Farm Problems
Promises to Set Up Department Of Agriculture Free From
Regimentotion ond Confusing Government Manipulation
BY the Associs,cc press.

Regimentotion On
BY the Associatcc Press. @e
SYRACUSE, N. r., Oct. s28-
The teTt OF Gop. THONGS E.
De,Dey's 3afD, speech scheduled
here today tollo,Ds: IL e..
These war years. have produced
trying days on the farms all over
our country Millions Of sons from
our farms ARE fighting on, battle
fronts all over the world. n Pat thers,
mothers, sisters and brothers have
taken. over ahe extra work, without
regard to age or physical handicaps,
Shortages OF help and shortage OF
equipment have increased the bur-
dens. And TO cap ii all, there have
been the sinexcusable attempts at
increased augmentation by New
Deal theorists in Washington
As one who mas worked with our
own farm leaders day and night to
achieve the succesc OF our farm
manpower service, our emergency
food commission and the farm ma
chinery repair program have
come to feel that Of all the heroes
OF. this war. our farmers have re-
ceived the least credit for the tre-
mendous job they have done.
Now the war Is drawing ever
closer to its conclusion With mighty
triumphs In Europe and the Pacific
our fighting men are bringing VIC
tory nearer every day AS you know
change of administration next
January 20 will not involve any
change in our military command
But it will bring an end to the
pickering, chaos and the confusion
in Washington. 1t will bring a
stronger, more United Nation back
ing up our fighting men without
division and warning at home.
1t will be signal to all the world
that free government is strong and
able to strengthen itself in total
war. 1t will mean quicker victory
And it will mean an administration
which does not feal the peace-one
which will bring our fighting men
home promptly when victory Is
achieved.
what Will Peace Mean?"
What will peace mean to our
farmers? Will it mean just contin-
ued efforts to control their lives
from Washington? Will it mean the
same collapse of prices which oc-
Cured under a Democratic admin
istration after the last war? Will
it mean a return to the substandard
prices our. farmers were still re-
ceiving after eight peacetime years
of the New Deal in 1910? 1t must
not mean these things. We can and
must do better if we are to have a
free and progressive America.
Few people seem to realize that
the American farmer is the largest
purchaser of the products of our
mills and factories. Every American
regardless of his business or employ
ment, has a direct interest in the
prosperity and stability Of agricul-
ture.
Unlike other producers, the farm
er deals with elements wholly be-
yond control. He may plant wisely
and we'll and then the weather can
destroy his crops. He may produce
to the maximum and find that
national surplus has broken his
prices to the point where he has a
loss for an entire years work.
We cannot control the weather
But for the sake OF thesNstion, we
can and wes must avoid these exa
treme price fluctuations. AS a Ma
ton, we are committed to the
proposition that the prices OF major
farm products must be supported
against the substandard levels we
saw for so many years before this
| war. =.
Calls for Full Employment.
We have learned that depression
on the farm leads inevitably to de-
preston in the Nation just as un-
employment and misery in the city
lead to misery on the farm. If We
are to have strong, vigorous and
happy country, we must have full
employment in the factories and
fair prices on the farms.
Is there any hope Of achieving
this result under the New Deal?
Well, the simple answer is that after
it had been in Office nearly eight
years in 1910, the New Deal had still
failed to achieve anything like fair
prices for farm products. And one
of the main reasons for that was
that there were still 10000 900 Amer
leans unemployed. Now, my op-
ponent seeks vote of confidence on
that record. He asks for l6 straight
wears in the White House And what
does he offer for the future? Moth
ing different from or better than
the program which failed. 1t took
a war to get decent farm prices just
as it took a war to get jobs.
From the very beginning Of the
New Deal. farm programs put for
ward by the farmers have been set
up, only to be exploited for political
profit and to gain control over the
operation of our farms. ..
For example. one of our most i'm
portant needs is to preserve. restore
and build up our soil resources
The soil conservation service has
done a good job in some parts of
the country. But this program will
fail If it is used as an excuse fol
regimentation and wasteful bu-
reaucracy.
Reports Excess of Agents.
Let's be specific. Take. for ex-
ample, a farmer not far from here
who signed up with the soil con-
servation program. Within a period
of four months IA different Govern
ment agents travelled to this one
little farm of As acres to tell how
his job should be done. Several
came many times. When he got all
| through the farmer paid for the