Show K y e National Topics Tonics Interpreted by William Bruckart Washington Washington Chester Chester C. C Davis v the agricultural adjustment nt adminIstrator admin admin- In a a acon conversation con con- Drouth i I x had Relief with fh him the theother theother theother other day uttered an observation which seemed to be decidedly worthwhile and one which because of ot the assurance an and contents contents con con- t tents ought to be repeated here M Mj My conversation with Mr Ir Davis had to do with questions concerning drouth relief relict and I want to qu tc his remarks because of ot the widespread widespread wide wIde- spread destruction of ot the tho current perI period when rainfall has been nil inso In BO so O many nan communities It U Is as unsafe and unjust to measure measure meas meas- ure the thee true potentialities of ot this country Mr Davis said by the I extreme drouth conditions of ot this this' year as It was to measure them by by the bumper crop years which happened to coincide with high prices so that eer everybody body felt sudden sud sud- sudden den riches were In sight The one extreme Is Just as deceptive as the theo o h r. r Mr Davis outlined what the government gov t gov-t was attempting to do since Its policy has b been en changed and since Individuals no longer are arc required to fend for themselves He He declared the changes In that tat have haTe been taken represent rit a n frank rec recognition of ot responsibility b by th the present leadership and It It was his conviction connection that more done In the face of ot similar conditions s than has ever been done done before before to relieve human distress He added that It had been found difficult of course to meet and solve many of or orthe the problems and that there Is not sufficient prowess even In our national na na- national l government to counteract all the effects of ot such a calamity The administrator holds to tv the belief h however wever that the steps ps taken by bythe bythe bythe the administration constitute the beginnings of ot a national program program from which apparently It itis Is Is p proposed pro po o- o posed eventually to develop national na nn- policies for dealing with all kinds of ot distress Obviously Ob Mr Davis did not touch on these phases b because ause his Job Is to d deal deal Ith with agricultural agricultural agricultural ag ag- ag situations and h bas has not g gone ne beyond them Calling attention to the fact that the drouth relief relict program Is the greatest ever undertaken in In this or any other country Mr Ir D Davis l Is summarized summarized summarized sum sum- the Joint activity of ot the several se government agencies In In- Inthe the following language The The- purchase of ot surplus cattle with the processing processing proc proc- essing of ot meat for or relief reUel distribution distribution tion encouragement of ot production of forage crops co ordination or co-or of seed ed purchase human employment relief purchase of ot ad adapted pt 9 fe feed d gr grain Jn forestation and other other meas me measures s- s ures to conserve moisture prevent Wind erosion and minimize the effects effects ef ef- of ot future drouth and In addition ad ad- such crop benefit payments as have haTe been made and which now nosy turn turnout out to be In n his opinion crop crop Insurance Mr Davis Is optimistic concerning concerning con con- the future of ot the Amerl- Amerl can farmer des des- Optimistic pite the hardas hardas hardas hard- hard as to Future ships of the current current current cur cur- rent drouth H He suggested however howe that It 11 was necessary nee nee- essary to face tace the facts of ot the current current current cur cur- rent drouth but also to resort to the language of ot the street the administrator administrator ad ad- thinks the country must not allow the current problems to knock It downIf downIf down If It the doubts and fears tear lately expressed expressed expressed ex ex- ex- ex pressed had been heeded heeded Mr r. r Davis Dovia Da Do- vis via added the great grent plains never would have been settled The troubles troubles trou trou- bles of ot today are but repetitions o oa on ona ona a less ess fearful scale of ot the the obstacles ob encountered by the early settlers B But Instead of ot turning back biuk kin In the face of bf hardships those pioneers es es- established tn d their homes and did not flood hall or dr r Indians stop them Instead the pioneers and their sons searched the world for tor drouth drouth- resistant wheat and grains which would mature In season They bred up the resistant drouth-resistant forage crops and planted them They built bunta a civilization dv- dv lon on an expanse of the h map man which once was labeled the Great Ani American n desert The d dro lt s we weh h hn have 5 lived through In th the past did no not not conquer the spirit nor stop the development nent of ot the West Th The drouth of f 1034 1934 will not stop the themen men meri m n of ot the West In their forward march to conquer nature Tile The l e thing about the the remarks remar s which Mr Davis navis uttered that tint appealed appealed ap ap- ap peal pealed d to me and to nume pus pus' other oth- oth other oth er Washington observers observed was a i he candor candor with which he treated d' d the Ule problems He ITe made no attempt In Inthis this conversation nor has he lie i done dine BO so In several speeches he has made late lately y to use language that was that was hys hys- For an example of ot what I 1 mean mean dispatches coming from Crom President Pres Pres- President ident Roosevelt's train on his homeward homeward homeward home home- ward trip across the northern half haIr of ot this country gave ga various fi figures ures as as asto to the loss occasioned by the thedr dr drouth One of ot these dispatches credited an emergency ref relief with the statement that the tile drouth had cost the farmers five fi billion Jillion dol dollars drs Another dispatch placed the figure somewhat lower and gave ga no authority for tor the estimate But the tho point Is that bat while Mr Ir Davis recognizes the tho desperation of ot the farmers and the necessity for tor their relief relIct there was nothing sensational In his discussion It Is s to be remembered remembered re ra re- re member d that the total farm Income income Inco In In- co come e of 1933 1333 was only a littlemore little littlemore more th than n six billion dollars and It It Is hard hard for for observers here to believe be be- lieve that t the drouth has destroyed fl e sixths five hs of Qt this country's agricultural agrIcultural agricultural tural Income this year In the lJ light ht of ot this fact tact the tempered remarks remarks re re- marks by Mr rr Davis take on added significance and weight It now seems certain that when the con congress ress returns to Wn Washington Washing Washing- ton next January Will Well Ask it will be called More Funds P upon n Immediately by the administration administration adminis adminis- to vote more funds for relief relief re re- lief of ot the drouth victims Until later however the extent to which I Ithe the administration will seek to go goIn I In this direction cannot be fore fore- i told It Is 19 evident that having seen the circumstances first hand Mr Mir Roosevelt's entire sympathy will be behind whatever proposal he makes Observers here however foresee some dangers as as a result of ot the pr present ent desperate conditions They know that Mr Roosevelt will as ashe ashe he lie has frequently stated go to the limit with federal funds but the danger tor foreseen by astute observers ers ens here Is that some of ot the members members members members' mem mem- bers bers' bersot of ot the house and senate will attempt to go beyond all reason In preparation of ot relief plans during next winter It Is not unusual as I the tile records show that on every occasion occasion occasion oc oc- oc- oc casion when the federal treasury doors are opened senators or representatives representatives rep rep- rese will come forward with scores of ot plans under the tho guise of ot human relief to get t their lr hands on government money for their constituents It Is fair to say that some of ot these will be sincere It Is equally fair fall to say that as inthe In Inthe Inthe the past some of ot them will have been misguided The conversations conversations conversations conversa conversa- one hears around Washington therefore Indicate that those charged with government responsibility responsibility must be on their guard It If vast sums are n not t to be wasted under under un un- un I der del the guise of extending relief to need needy victims of natures nature's pranks this ye year r. r Some of ot the brain already already al al- ready have developed far flung plans for the physical transfer of ot thousands of ot farm families from t I Iother the drouth stricken districts Into other areas where they can get started ag again tin While generally speaking I believe e sentiment In the government favors doing anything hat that will afford ufford relief next winter a good many of ot the higher authorIties authorities author- author tics In the administration p point out that the scheme of transposition Ion tion of or whole families and their belongIngs presents grave gra lems ems There was a cartoon In one of ot the eastern metropolitan newspapers pers porn that depict- depict Price ed U Uncle n c l I e Sam Situation begging a small sOlan boy labeled PrIces to grow up so that he could reach his height of ot 1026 1920 Besides It t was another caricature which showed Uncle Sam warning the same boy to stop growing and announcing announcing an an- that If It he the prices of ot food tood grows vs too much I will crack down I refer to this cartoon because because because be be- cause most Washington observers see the price situation In this country country coun- coun try ry to be quite confusing It Is to tobe tobe tobe be recalled that throughout last year and early In 1034 1934 the administration adminis- adminis ration predicated al all of ot Its actions on a desire to raise prices Now however the effect of ot the prolonged drouth In the agricultural areas Is being felt feIt In the cities clUes and President Prest- Prest dent Roosevelt announced his fear that hat profiteering In food prices Is likely to result and made known that the administration has definite plans to curb an any undue rise In prIces Thus far It t has not been made matIe clear what Is h considered an undue price rise under present conditions con con- but the tho President stated with emphasis In a press conference conference confer confer- ence that he would not permit profiteering to take place In the coming fall faU and winter because h ha he Indicted he thought the price In Increases Increases increases creases would be unjustified I The President and ROIl Secretary Wallace of ot the Department of at Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture Ag Ag- are w working hand handIn In hand band handIn bandin In the development of ot machinery m which they Intend to use to protect pro pro- con consumers from profiteering Mr Ir Roosevelt asserted he had lead plen Plen- Plen t iy tr of ot power with which to do this Job Mr Wallace speaking Inter later said the first check that would be placed on an undue rise In n prices would be closer supervision of ot the grain markets Any Indications of manipulation In those markets will willbe he be dealt with summarily accordIng according accord accord- I In Ing to Mr Wallace The circumstances surrounding price questions however have o I caused many observers to ask for t I further exposition of the administrations administration's administrations administration's adminis adminis- policies In this t regard 1 As AI Asfar Asfar far as I have havo been able to learn none of the administration spokesmen spokes spokes- I men are willing at this time to go be beyond ond the threat to crack down If It there Is profiteering I e Union |