The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-26

years-trouble he hasn't expert
enced since before World War Ii.
Farm prices are down but farm
costs have not declined correspond
ingly. The farmers share of the
consumer dollar spent for food and
fiber is at the lowest level since
1871, just before TIE war boom
lifted him into his greatest period
of prosperity.
He isn't yet in deep trouble, but
the trend in that direction has been
so steady as to Sound alarms in
Washington and in the farm coun-
try. Many people recall wildly the
bleak days of the '3Os that came
after a farm depression.
Secretary of Agriculture Benson
thinks the way to reverse this
trend is to use flexible price
support system 20 encourage crop
production shifts. This would be
tied in with efforts TO find new
farm markets, cut farm costs. and
increase the purchasing power OF
the dollar.
BeDSon'S opponents argue the an.
swer to the farm problem is not in
cutting down on production or
tampering with nigh price sup
ports. They see in surplus produc-
ton sign of healthy agriculture
and contend the nation should have
SURPRISES as a backlog.
They argue the cost OF these sur
pluses is not too great price
for the taxpayer 10 pay for as
surance of abundant food and
fiber. They also argue that the
factory worker is getting more
food for one hour Of labor today
than he did in 1899, or in 1929 be-
fore the farm program started.
A chart from the Department Of
Agriculture supports this argu-
ment, 1t shows one hour of factory
labor in 1929 bought ga loaves Of
bread-but now buys 1914 Ioaves:
7.s pints Of milk against 1873 pintS
now; 26 pounds Of bacon today or
exactly twice the amount 1t would
have bought in 1929.
But the big problem facing Ben
son is how to dispose Of surpluses.
Most farm and administration
leaders see the foreign market as
the logical outlet. Benson has set
up an advisory group on this prob.
lem and has raised the depart
ment's foreign agriculture service
to q new position Of authority and
prestige.
This office is headed By Romeo
E. Short, who has begun his work
facing the fact that L. S. farm
exports have dropped from four
billion dollars 10 about three BIZ
lion during the past year.
Part Of this is due 70 govern,
ment cutbacks Oh lis foreign aid
programs. Foreign countries thus
have fever dollars 10 spend.
When be testified recently before
a House group, Short gave this
outline Of how his f0fiee will try
to expand foreign sales
I'VE plan 10 pat E7ore commod.
ity marketing Hea abroad. in an
effort to open BIO. or keep open,
olr export markets These men
VIII inform toree7 bayers about
the special advantages OF cur I'm
proved commodities They viii en-
deayor 10 convince foreign officials
III the need fer making dollars
availahIe for L. s products.
We shah exp.ere toe p .sy
NJ using mgre # U4r agricultural
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