Evening star., 1954-10-16

Government, q strong economy,
personal security - these we
must seek for every American.
We must never forget that the
fortunes Of all OF us are tightly
intertwined. This interdepend-
ency applies also among the ma
tions of the world - certainly
among the nations which are
free.
This was not so widely under
stood when I was a boy working
on the farms of Kansas. Then,
a half-century ago, we were, ex-
cept for the weekly newspaper.
somewhat isolated from the
world.
In those days. we plowed with
team Of horses and a one
bottom plow. We laboriously
tramped down our hay in stack
and loft. When a calm stopped
the windmill. we had to pump
countless buckets Of water for
use in home and stable. The only
tractors we saw were the big
steamers used for running
threshing machines.
Then came aut m o b ! e. S,
mechanization, electricity, tele-
phone, radio and television, and
life today on our farms is a far
different thing.
And yet, in many ways, it
hasn't changed. Laws of nature
have not been repealed. Markets
and the weather are still unpre-
dictable. Wind and hail, mud
and dust, floods and drought
still exist. There are still the
insects and plant and animal
disease. Watering and feeding
the stock. and milking the cows,
still have to be done right on
time. In short. good farming is
still sun-up to sun-down work.
Hard Work Pays Off.
But just look at what that
hard work does for America!
A skilled American farm
worker today produces food and
clothing for 18 other Americans.
What contrast with countries
where as many as nine must toll
to provide food for themselves
and only one other. How mean
ingful to all of us this makes
the skillful work of our farmers.
And yet, in large sections of
agriculture. this work has not
received its fair reward. Two
years ago, the farmers of Amer
lea were fearful for reasons that
went beyond their suspicious of
corruption and subversion in
Government and the Korean
war.
They wanted a stop to falling
income-a stop to rising costs
a stop to the loss of markets.
stop to the piling up of threat
ening unmanageable surpluses.
In the two years before this
administration took Office in
January, 1858, the parity ratio
dropped 19 points. Our farmers
suffered a serious loss in buying
power. Here are the facts:
In 1947, cotton farmer could
buy a pickup truck with nine
bales. BY the end of 1852, it
took not nine but IA bales.
In 1947, 800 bushels of corn
would buy tractor. BY the end
of 1852. it took not 800 but over
1900 bushels-two-thirds more,
In 1947, $50 bushels Of wheat
would buy a combine. BY the
end Of 1852, it took not $50 but
over 1900 bushels-three- -fourths
more.
My friends, this steady de-
cline in farmers buying power
took place under the old farm
lava law which stays in effect
until the end of the current crop
year. Yet, some would have our
farmers believe that in the fu-
ture this law will do what it has
failed to do in the past.
Every farmer knows why his
income declined. Agriculture was
losing markets. Prices were de-
pressed by uneconomic produc-
ton which was encouraged by
the old farm law.
War Delays Action.
The truth is, this vital prob
lem of markets and surpluses had
never been faced head on. Two
wars had postponed the newt
able day of reckoning.
1t was war-World War IL
which supplied the markets for
farm surpluses that had piled up
in the late 1930s.
In 1850, another war-this
time. in Korea. postponed the
problem until 1852.
Clearly war is no solution. At
Kasson, Minnesota, two years
ago, I pledged that Republican
administration would seek a last
ing, peaceable solution.
Twenty-one months ago we
set out to develop a durable pro-
gram for a peacetime agriculture.
We sought objective, expert ad-
vice from practical farmers, farm
groups, commodity specialists.
We consulted with educators,