Evening star., 1948-01-09
Farm Bureau
Action Due on
Marshall Plan
Maryland Group to
Elect Officers at
Final Session 7 odoy
By jones BiFchfleId
Sfor Sfaff Correspondent

BALTIMORE, Jan. 9.-The Mary
land Farm Bureau will end its 32d
annual conference here today with
the election Of officers and the
adoption Of resolutions that are ex-
pected to include Endorsement of the
Marshall plan and demand that
no change be made in the Taft
Hartley Act.
The bureau also Is expected to 60
on record favoring price support
program for Southern Maryland
tobacco growers that will assure
adequate returns to tobacco farmers
and to urge that the Federal Gov
ernment maintain revenues and cut
expenses in an effort to reduce the
public debt.
Other Resolutions Up.
Other resolutions expected to be
adopted include:
A request that Agriculture Depart
ment agencies be. co-ordinated at
the State level so that. established
local institutions will not be by
passed, an intensified program to
control the japanese beetle and the
European corn borer, an investiga-
ton of all county welfare agencies
to the end that only deserving per-
sons shall participate in relief pay
ments, improvement of the bay ferry
system until bridge or tunnel has
been completed, improved farm
marketing facilities and improved
farm-to-market roads.
Gov. Lane said he was confident
Federal money would be appropri-
ated for Maryland roads leading in
to Washington in a speech at the
annual banquet last night.
Reports Truman Impressed.
He referred to request he laid
before President Truman and Mai
Gen. Philip B. Fleming, Federal
Works administrator, earlier this
week that the Government contrib
ute about $50,O00,0O0 to finance "re-
habilitation of our highway system
IN the area contiguous to Washing
ton"
II am happy to be able to report
to you that both the President and
these officials were impressed with
the equity of our request" the Gov
ernor said, land the reasonableness
of the proposition that it is up to
the Federal Government to bea1
the major part of the cost of pro-
viding appropriate highway ap-
proaches to our national capital
through Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties"
He said 1--WE will know in a few
weeks" whether the proposed Chesa-
peake Bay crossing will be bridge
orstunneL 4 49,
Approved by U. S. Officials.
Federal officials have given their
blessing to the crossing, he went
on, and work should begin by April
The structure will be connected in
less than 80 months it is expected
Addressing Maryland bureau mem.
bers yesterday, Allen B. Kline, Amer
lean Farm Bureau Federation presi.
dent, warned that this country is at
or near the top of, an inflationary
trend.
Speaking OF the European situa.
ton. Mr.. Kline advocated strong
foreign policy" T
Backs Marshall Plan.
Only by giving assistance te
Europe, as provided in the Marshal
plan, Mr. Kline said, can we look
forward to an era of peace.
Earlier, Joseph H. Blandford
chairman of the Maryland Produc.
ton and Marketing Administration
told bureau members that Govern.
ment support prices at 80 per cent
of parity will be continued this year
and that financial assistance will bt
continued for farmers who carry
through soil conserving practices
In his report to members, Statt
Farm Bureau President H. S. Leav'
erton warned farmers to be vigilan
against attacks on farmer cooper.
atives by selfish persons with axe!
to grind, who would tax co-opera.
tives out of existence"
Warned on Price Decline.
Pointing out that every war IL
United States history has been &C
companied by a rise and sudder
drop in prices, DR.. Roger B. Corbett
assistant dean of agriculture ant
assistant Extension Service director
at the University of Maryland
warned farmers to make ready fol
the coming price decline.
Farmers should get out of debt,
he said. Low prices will put &
premium on good farm management
Anything we can do now to reliev'
the shock of falling prices viii
benefit the Nation"