Evening star., 1952-09-07

a decentralization farm program,
and extension of supports to cover
new crops.
It was by far the strongest ap-
peal to any particular group since
the start of the campaign.
Strangely enough, the speech re-
ceived the quietest reception of
any Gen. Eisenhower has made.
Almost to a man, the huge crowd
sat on their hands, and applauded
only briefly after the general
finished speaking.
No more startling contrast to
his previous receptions would have
been possible. but it probably had
no great significance. Experienced
farm reporters maintain that farm
crowds always behave this way
and that the general, even before
the speech, was the popular can
didate in this section.
Rochester Crowd Friendly.
Certainly there were sufficient
evidences of friendliness in the
turnout which greeted the Repub-
lican candidate as he stepped from
his plane this morning at Roches-
ter. The crowd pressed close
around the generals car, shaking
his hand and clamoring for auto
graphs.
Escorted by police, the long
motorcade drove from Rochester
to Kasson. 13 miles away, where
the annual national plowing con-
test was in full swing on the 160-
acre farm of Henry Snow. AS the
general drove up, the fields al
ready swarmed with thousands of
spectators and tractors chugged
busily all over the place. turning
up the black Minnesota soil under
the watchful eye Of judges.
After greeting the Shows, the
general mounted a tractor drawn
farm wagon leading a procession
of State party officials to the
speakers platform, set up a quar-
ter of a mile away.
Denounces 'Agricrats.'
In his speech, carried on a
Nationwide radio hookup, Gen.
Eisenhower charged the admin
stration with trying to make
farmers "the tools of political
party" He denounced the "Agri-
Gratis" in Washington for ignoring
advice from farmers in conduct
ing the farm program and for
trying Ito use the vast power of
the Federal Government to make
the farmer a political captive"
The general fatty promised that
he and his party stand Solidly be-
hind continued supports for basic
farm commodities through 1854
at 80 per cent of parity. At an
other point. he declared that
farmers are entitled to earn a
fair full share of the National in
come and a fair share is not
merely 80 per cent of parity, but
full parity"
This, apparently, does not mean
that Gen. Eisenhower favors
raising government supports to
the full 100 per cent of parity
Gabriel Hauge, one of the gener-
ais advisers on economic mat
ters, explained that the Republi-
cans hope to improve present farm
programs to enable the farmer
to receive the full return through
his own efforts, rather than
through government handouts.
Not a Matter of Law.
The general himself confirmed
this at a press conference later in
the day. He did not anticipate,
he said. that the guarantee of full
parity could ever be made a matter
of law.
After his speech. Gen. Eisen-
hover returned to the Snow home
stead where he lunched on fried
chicken, mashed potatoes and
salad. He told his hosts: "I'd
like to stay here a week."
This, however, was not on the
schedule. The Democratic nomi-
nee, Gov. Stevenson of Illinois,
was due to show up at any mo-
ment to get in his own licks on
the farm question. A meeting
OF the two candidates might have
been embarrassing. The general
headed back to Rochester.