AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

179

Mr. Apkins. The point is, I can not get through my head how you
are going to control the weather man and the insect pests.
Mr. Manger. We haven't done it, because it has not been done,
We are going to try to keep as near the right proportions as we can,
and we are going to assist the farmers; they will not have any enormous
 surplus and they will not have any enormous deficits, either,
if they produce intelligently as they should do under a plan like this.
Mr. Apkins. Now, just pursue that a little further: Take any
commodity—it will apply just as well, but we started out on wheat.
Mr. MAHER. Yes.
Mr. Apkins. Suppose we had your balanced operation, and by
reason of these uncontrollable things that directly attack production
that we should have a very short crop, that it would be a calamity
to our people who have to buv bread—the rich people would get along
all right.
Mr. MAHER. A poorsrop or high prices are a calamity any time
to poor people, and the poor people will be taken care of here just
like the farmer would be taken care of, because there would not be
ANY excessive prices or any——
Mr. Apkins. Usually high prices follow shortages.
Mr. MAHER. That is true, if there is a shortage, but I say we have
to take those chances now, and we always do take those chances.
Mr. Apkixs. This is a long-period proposition you are talking
about, and you propose to deal with the average?
Mr. Manger. With the average, of course.
Mr. Apxixs. You can really cut the acreage and yet yield much
larger production; you can increase acreage, on account of weather,
etc., and have a smaller production, but over the period the average
will take care of itself?
Mr. ManEr. That is what I sav the average will take care of
itself; it must do 1.
Mr. Apkins. You think it will be an imnrovement over the present
one?
Mr. Manger. Why, of course; if it would not, I would not talk
about it at all.
The CHAIRMAN. Are there any suggestions? We do not, of course,
want to cut off Mr. Maher.
Mr. ManEgR. I am all through, if there are no questions.
Mr. CLARKE. Mr. Chairman, I move that when we adjourn tomorrow
 we adjourn until Monday morning next.
The motion prevailed.)
The CaatrMan. We will now stand adjourned until to-morrow
morning at 10 o’clock.
(Thereupon, at 1° 2; o’clock p. m., the committee adjourned to
meet to-morrow, © "Iv Tomecew 77 39928 at 10 o'clock a.m.)
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