Evening star., 1948-01-07

1000, 900 1,703, $50
(Note: The amount of reduct
correct for the dozen States that now
husbands and wives may divide the
ing purposes).
standard of living for all our people
by strengthening our economic sys-
tenn and sharing more broadly
among our people the goods we
produce.
The amazing economic progress
Of the past 10 years points the way
for the next 10.
Today $4,000, 900 more people have
jobs than in 1888.
Our yearly output of goods and
services has increased by two-thirds.
The average income OF our people,
measured in dollars OF equal pur-
chasing power, has increased-after
taxes-by more than so per cent.
In no other 10 years have farmers,
businessmen and wage earners made
such great gains.
Can Increase Output.
We may not be able to expand as
rapidly in the next decade as In
the last, because we are now start
ing from full employment and very
high production. But we can in
crease our annual output by at least
one-third above the present level.
We can lift our standard of living
to nearly double what it was 10
years ago. ..-
If we distribute these gains prop
erly. we can go far toward stamping
out poverty in our generation.
To do this, agriculture, business
and labor must move forward to-
gether.
Permanent farm prosperity and
agricultural abundance will be
achieved only as our whole economy
grows and prospers. The farmer
can sell more food at good prices
when the incomes of wage earners
are high and when there is full
employment. Adequate diets for
every American family, and the
needs of our industries at full pro-
duction, will absorb farm output
well above our present levels.
although the average farmer Is
now better of than ever before,
farm families as a whole have only
begun to catch up with the stand
ards of living enjoyed in the cities.
In 1916, the average income Of farm
people was $779, contrasted with an
average income of 1898 for nom
farm people. Within the next
decade, we should eliminate ele-
ments of inequality in these living
standards.
To this end our farm program
should enable the farmer to market
his varied crops at fair price levels
and to improve his standard OF liv-
ing:
We need to continue price sup
ports for major farm commodities
on basis which will afford reason
able protection against fluctuations
in the levels OF production and de-
mand. The present price support
program, must be re-examined and
modernized.
Crop insurance should be
strengthened and its benefits ex-
tended In order to protect the
farmer against the special hazards
to which he is subject.
We also need to improve the
means for getting farm products
into the markets and into the hands
of consumers. Co-operatives which
directly or indirectly serve this
purpose must be encouragement
discouraged. The school lunch pro-
gram should be continued and ade-
quateIy financed.
Electrical Expansion Needed.
We need to 60 forward with the
rural electrification program to
bring the benefits of electricity to
all our farm population.
We can, and must, aid and en-
courage farmers to conserve their
soil resources and restore the fer
tility of land that has suffered from
neglect or unwise use.
All of these are practical meas
ures upon which we should act i'm
to enable agriculture to
make its full contribution to our
prosperity.
We must also strengthen our eco
nomic system within the next de-
cade by enlarging our industrial
capacity within the framework OF
our free enterprise system.
We are today far short OF the
capacity we need for q
growing future. At least $50 0,000, ,000,-
600 should be invested by industry
to improve and expand our pro-
ductive facilities over the next few
years. But this is only the begin
ming. The industrial application OF
atomic energy and other scientific
advances will constantly open up
further opportunities for expansion.
Farm prosperity and high employ
ment will call for an immensely In
output OF goods and serv-
ices
Growth and vitality in our econ
omy depend on vigorous private en-
terprise. Free competition is the
key to industrial development, full
and employment, fair
prices and an ever improving stand
ard of living. Competition is serious
ly limited today in many industries
by the concentration Of economic
power and other elements of monop-
oily. The appropriation of sufficient
funds to permit proper enforcement
of the present antitrust laws Is
Beyond that we should
go On to strengthen our legislation
to protect competition.
Another basic element of>a strong
system is the well-being
Of wage earners.
We have learned that the we'll
being of workers depends on high