The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-07-27


Anderson subsidies will grad
ually be eliminated
as upward pressures on prices relax
i. that agreed requirements from
agriculture represent obligations
which must be carried through . . .
that adequate manpower and ma
chinery for the farm must be given
priority :. and that the government
must take necessary steps to pro-
vide adequate transportation facili-
ties to move groups and foodstuffs,
perishables and livestock, and the
movement of manpower to areas
where there is an acute labor short
age.
This, briefly, is the program which
this new, dynamic figure in the de-
partment of agriculture has set for
himself and the agricultural indus
try for the immediate months ahead.
He is no novice at the job he has
undertaken. AS chairman of the
special committee of the house to
investigate food shortages, he trav-
eled the country from coast to
coast, heard innumerable witnesses
on all sides of every question and aft
er weeks of consideration, he and
his committee came up with set
of recommendations, most of which
have now been enacted into law.
Long Range Program Too
And while Anderson is immediate
ly concerned with the production of
foodstuffs for the war period, he has
not lost sight of the long-range pro-
gram to which the farmer is looking
for the postwar years. Mr.. An
derson will be secretary of agricul-
ture for the next 31s years. There
is a probability that 2k and maybe
more, of those years will be postwar
years. At any rate, with his char
acteristic thoroughness, he already
has committee of agricultural ex-
perts at work studying basic agri-
cultural problems with the idea of
bringing forth a set of recommended
tons for the postwar period.
This reporter would say, after
an interview with Mr.. Anderson,
and a study of his work In con-
gress, that the new secretary has
his feet solidly on the ground,
that he is not given to going off
half-cocked, that he studies ev-
cry side of a question and that
once his mind is made up he
will use every resource and all
his ability to carry through his
program.
While he would not commit him.
self as to the Triple A program, he
did say that the Triple A program,
with the exception Of soil conserva-
ton, had been pretty well laid on
the shelf during these war years
and for the postwar period he indi-
Gated that the crop adjustment pro-
gram would have to be analysed
thoroughly and that he already had
a committee at work doing just that
Interested in Parity
BY congressional action, however,
farmers have been guaranteed a
price for their products, or most Of
them, at 80 per cent of parity for
two years after the end Of the war
and Mr.. Anderson is particularly in
terested in adequate support prices
to maintain this price. Furthermore,
support prices are not costing the
government anything at this time,
since prices Of commodities are well
above the prices set. 1t is only when
commodity prices start falling for
any reason, that the support price
will hold the farmer up from ruin
Gus prices.
Anderson is not anticipating any
huge SURPRISES, but nevertheless he
is taking no chances on the so-called
reconversion period when army and
other huge government buyers start
cut-backs in food purchases. For
J this reason he is now starting CONVEX
sations seeking to taper of, rather
than cutoff, army purchases, and
lend lease.
Consumer subsidies, he looks
upon as temporary expediencies,
and very temporary at that. He
! is not In favor Of such subsidies
as a governmental policy In
/ peacetime.