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Show SCANNING THE WEEK'S NEWS ! of A4o'n Street and the World Agriculture Department Considers ! few Program for the Small Farmer i NEW FARM PLAN As a result of a recent survey into the problems of the small American farmer, the Truman administration may. come up with a new farm program in the near future more controversial than the Brannan plan and which could become one of the major issues in the 1952 presidential campaign. The survey was conducted with the idea of learning what the department de-partment could do to help the small farmer who is having difficulties because of inadequate land, machinery, livestock and know how Thousands of meetings have been held in the home towns across the nation discussing crop control, price support, farm loans and other small farm problems. As a result, a major question has developed: should the government buy up land, redivide it into "economic" or "efficient" units, and resell it to low-income farmers? Also, should present crop controls be extended? Brannan believes that if productivity of substandard farms can be increased many agriculture problems would tend to disappear. On the other hand, many farm leaders have remained aloof and have not taken part in the meetings, criticizing Brannan's methods more than his objectives. Two possible legislative proposals may come from the survey: (1) A technical assistance program for the less efficient farms and farmers, and (2) a farm-loan program designed to help such farmers acquire land, machinery, equipment, livestock and the know how to operate efficient larms. Whatever the final form, any new farm plan, whether it incorporates the government buying and redivision of land or not, is bound to become a major campaign issue. Much of the opposition will come from the farm bureaus who have long resented Brannan as trying to usurp the roles of the private farm organizations and regimenting agriculture. ' r w, , , JL'S4 v, w . - : ' I Meeting Place Panmuiijom, is the proposed site for new Korea cease-fire talks. Meanwhile, fighting continues on the central front with Allied forces making limited advances. BOYLE RESIGNS The b'g question in political circles since William M. Boyle, Jr., close friend of President Truman resigned as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is whether or not Guy Gabrielson, GOP national chairman, will be the next to go? Boyle and Gabrielson have been under fire as having used their positions to influence the Reconstruction Finance Corporation into .granting loans to companies they represented or were connected with. And although Gabrielson insists he will stay on, political observers believe his number is up, too. In his letter of resignation Boyle gave health as his reason, insisting he had at all times conducted himself with "honor and propriety." He did admit in testimony during the congressional hearing that he accepted ight law cases involving government agencies, at fees totaling approximately approxi-mately $158,000, while serving as chairman of the national committee. LESS CIVILIAN GOODS Defense Mobilizer Charles E. Wilson announced a cut in civilian goods production, effective January 1, that will be felt in the home towns across the nation. The cutback in civilian production, 10 per cent for washing machines and stoves and even more in the automobile industry, will provide steel for the armament program which will hit full stride during the first three months of 1952. The home town that has a school or hospital under construction will et enough materials to finish the project, but there will not be materials available to start new ones. As for farm machinery, so vital to agriculture agricul-ture and home town economy, there will be enough to support production "'at a healthy and adequate level." MIDDLE EAST BLOWUP There is shaping up in the Middle East an explosion that could be felt in the smallest American community. The situation has developed as Egypt has increased pressure in recent weeks to remove the British from the Sudan and strategic Suez. As a compromise, the United States, Britain, France and Turkey have asked Egypt to become the center of an alliance in the area against communism, but the proposal was received cooly by King Farouk's .government. This dispute Is important to home town Americans because of the nation's interest in Suez, which if placed under Egyptian protection, would be a prize the Russians could take with little difficulty. The British, under present treaties with Egypt, have the legal right to maintain troops in the canal zone which is her economic life-line. She will not back down in her determination to remain in the zone. Thus, if the Egyptian government attempts to remove them by force the British will resist. If the Russians should decide to step in at this point, the world would become involved in World War III. There is a chance that Egypt may accept the west's proposal of joint defense of the area, but only because she is not in a position to defend herself. NEW DECLARATION !n a major speech last week President Truman again declared American foreign policy is "based upon the hope that it will be possible to live, without a war, in the same world as the Soviet Union if the free nations have adequate defenses." And he again offered to "sit down with the Soviet Union" and other nations to work out agreements to relieve mankind of "the horror of another world war" and provide the basis for "a durable peace." The President pointed out the central theme of America's present loreign policy and defense program: "So long as one country has the power and the force to overwhelm others and so long as that country has aggressive intentions real peace is unattainable. The stronger we become, the more possible it will be to work out solid and lasting arrangements that will prevent war. Our strength will make for peace." IRAN'S OIL Mohammed Mossadegh, premier of Iran, who has taken the British-Iranian 'oil dispute to the United Nations Security Council, told UN diplomats to keep their hands off the dispute and warned "we will not be coerced." In presenting the Iranian point of view he said there are only two questions open to negotiations: (1) Compensation for British investments in the now nationalized Anglo-Iranian Oil company, and (2) possible sale of oil to Britain. He then made his strongest point: "We will not take action and will not engage in negotiations affecting our internal affairs under pressure. To do so would not only constitute an admission' that we are not a sovereign and equal nation, but would eventually be fatal to our independence." The question remains who will operate the huge Anglo-Iranian Oil company refineries. The Iranians do not have the technical know-how and the British experts have already been sent home. How can Iran sell oil when it can't produce it? |
