172

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
several years in trying to assist the farmers in that respect; and he
also thought maybe he could get this outline of his plan adopted.

It was agreed between he and I in October that we should meet
here in Washington. I came south and he started to come down and
died on the way. If he was here he could present it very much better
than I can. I wish to read the plan to you, and then I wish to read
a brief I have prepared on it. Then if you want any explanation I
can give I am perfectly willing to give it. This is Mr. Pierce’s farm
plan:
(A) OUTLINE OF A PLAN FOR PERMANENT RELIEF OF AGRICULTURE AND TO OR-
GANIZE THIS INDUSTRY ALONG THE SAME LINES AS OTHER INDUSTRIES
Agriculture can be made as profitable as other staple industries, only when
the scasonable supply can be made as nearly equal as possible to the seasonable
demand, and then by marketing produce only as rapidly as the market will
absorb it, just as other products are now marketed.

Keep in mind that some legal objection will be raised to any effort to regulate
or restrict production, but this objection is not unsurmountable.

It will be urged that legislation can do no more for farmers than they could
do for themselves, just as the other industries do, but the answer is that they
nave not done and will not do it unaided.

It will be argued that to organize and keep organized any industry is not
a proper governmental function, but the events of the past three months are
all the proof necessary that a government or, rather an administration, 1s ex-
pected to do more than regulate personal conduct, levy taxes, and prescribe
what should not be done. Rightly or wrongly, the people of the Central West
expect the Government to take the initiative; not wait for a plan to be submitted
for approval, and the administration that does not heed is going to hear from it.

It is urged that even if the Government should aid in such organization, after
it passed into the hands of the farmers of the country it would go to pieces as
other farmer organizations always do, but the answer to that is the Federal
land bank system, the greatest and most successful cooperative plant in the
world, now wholly owned by the farmers.

It is urged that even if organized and 90 per cent of the farmers of the United
States become members there would be no way to compel compliance with
regulations, but the answer to that is human nature, abhorrence of ostracism,
and the example and experience of the great fruit-marketing organizations.

On the question of economy, it can be frankly argued that the plan can be
made self-supporting, and can pay its organization expenses just as the land
banks and the reserve banks did.

(1) Provide for an appointive board in the Department of Agriculture to be
known as the agricultural organization board, or a similar name, like the Federal
Reserve Board or the Federal Farm Loan Board in the Treasury Department.

(2) Make the membership five or seven to cover as many divisions of the
United States and provide qualifications for appointment.

(3) This board to organize the districts, the States, local associations, and
individual growers of the staple farm products, so as to regulate and prevent
nnderproduction overproduction and unstable marketing.

‘4) Define staple farm products.

i5) Ascertain and keep advised in advance as near up to date as possible,
of foreign and domestic needs for immediate future, and facilities for produc-
tion, and through the organization, from the board at Washington down through
the districts, States, local organizations and individual members, increase Or
decrease the product as near as can be done, having in view seasonal or climatic
1ncertainties. }

(6) Ascertain and advise by calendar months, both the domestic and foreign
demand for the next succeeding month, and allot to each district, State, associa-
ton, and individual member the quantity to be marketed during the month.

(7) To be plain, tell each district, every State, and every individual how much
to produce each year and how much to market each month, — based upon
maximum capacity. ' ’

(8) Use the machinery of present existing State-wide or nation-wide farm
organizations as near as can be done.
od ) Lse nd improve upon the present machinery of the Department of Agri

> for the collecting, classifvineg. and dissemination of information.