Evening Star Newspaper, May 2, 1933, Page 10

A—10 THE EVENING STAR, . WASHINGTON, WALLACE DEFENDS PENDING FARM BILL Secretary, in Forum Address, Sees Measure Designed for Common Good. Describing the pending farm bill as. in some wavs, “perhaps as crude as the “irstautomobile.” Secretary of Agricul- ture Wallace last night told the Nation Ne believes it is profoundly right in Durpose, for it attempts a reconcilia- tion between science and sccial jus- tice. Mr. Radio Forum, arranged by and broadcasi through WRC over an cxtensive network of other National Broadcasting staticns. His address was the fifth in the cab- inet series being presented in the forum. Wallace spoke in the National Predicts Success. “I believe it can be made to work, if he rank and file of the people of the United Stales-the men who grow our {ooG. the men who handle and dis- tribute it. the men snd women Who consume 1t—are genuinely hungry to aistribute the frults of science in & Just way,” Secretary Wallace empha- Sized Because the farm mecasure is not ve' law, Mr. Wallace, explaining that de- tatled discussion would have to wait a later time, devoted the major part of his address to the scientific Tesearch Agriculture Depart- these must continue increase productive efficiency. 1o widen markets.” Along with this line of endeavor, he said field for experimentation—that of social con- trol, which he described as the prin- ciple of the farm legislation Can we, do you suppose. become as in our social experimenting as e already proven our experimenting?” he aske can be done, we can go aheac e triumph after another in t seientific world. If it is not fear for the future of our civili The full texi of Secretary Wallace's address follows In this series of radio broadcasts it ie custom. as I understand 1t, for cabinet officer to da a little boast- ing about his own department. I am more than willing to do my share of that on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, but in my remarks tonight I hope not only to discuss the past of this department, but also to consider its future. Necessarily. that involves the new farm bill. By tonight I bad hopid to b> able to taik in some detail about it. but since the bill has not vet become law, detailed discussion will have to wait. In lieu of that, let me discuss the view that the new bill is the logical next step in the work of the Department of Agriculture, in particular, and of all government in general. In order properly to appraise the work of this far-flung department of the Federal Government. suppose we cut through a tedious underbrush of official and legal language. and set forth, in plain words, what the Department of Agriculture was established to do. 1f vou have thought about mankind's struggle through the ages to build an orderly society, vou will agree that there have been two primary problems: First, to produce enough food and fiber 10 feed and clothe us all; second. To divide what we produce as equitably as possible. Problem of Production. We have always had to be concerned with production. Whatever else man can do without, he cannot live without food. And that was no simple problem btack in the days when men lived in tribes in the forests, and when the fnod supply depended upon a man’s sgill with crude weapons. When the first. faint stirtings of commerce and ndustry drew men to live in larger groups. in cities. the problem of a food supply became even more acute Those who lived in the ancient cities could not grow their own food and fiber. Those Who remained on the farm, had the new job of growing enough not only for themselves, but for other families in nearby cities. Thus the dependence of the city dweller upon the farmer is overwhelmingly real. It is the key log in this structure we cail modern civili- 7ation. And there were times when the struc- ture was in_danger of collapse, or in- deed did collapee. because the key log weakened and gave way. By reason of abnormal seasons, drought or flood famines came, and wiccked whole seg- ments of humen society It was cusiomary 10 biame those catas- trophes on nature. Man, weak creature was powerless if nature chose to starve him. or drown him, or otherwise mal- treat him. s Nature Modified. Somewhere back in the ages, a few in- dividuals, more daring. more imagina- tive than the rest. began to wonder whether that was true. They reasoned that though nature could not be ignored, it could be modified. Man began doing that when he learned how to make fire by rubbing sticks together. We have been modifying the behavior of nature ever since, 1o prevent famine. fiood. and oiher disasters. until, as Julian Huxley The Star | SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE WALLACE, puts it. man has done more tn 5.000 vears to alier the biological aspect of the planet than nature has done in 000,000 vears By putting nature in harness. so far as possible, we have solved mankind's first great problem—the problem of pro- ducing enough food to go round. We have solved it tco well, as a matter of ct. but I shall speak of that later. When it is possible for the farmers of a naton 1o increase production 50 per cent, while crop acreage 1S increasing only 25 per cent. we know thal science has been al work. That is exactly what has happened in the United Siates dur- ing the past 30 vears. In large part it is a result of the scientinc work of the United States Department of Agricul- ture and the co-operating State insti- tutions. It was for the purpose of putting science to work in agriculture that this Federal Department of Agriculture was established by act of Congress 71 vears ago. Washington, Jefterson and Frank- lin saw the need for it even back in their day. The department was created primarily for scientific research, its main Job always has been a research job. and I hope research will always remain a principal duty Dissemination of Facts. Of course it is not enough to discover facts: a public institution has also the obligation 1o see that the facts are made available to all who can profit by them When a plant breeder in the depart- ment develops a variety of wheat that is highly resistant to rust, the job of the department has not ended with that dis- covery. The new variety has to be tried out in various regions. in the fleld Next, the results of those trials have to be made known to wheat growers. That involves publications, both technical and popular, and articles for the press, and radio broadcasting. Then the seed of the new variety has to be made avail- able to farmers. The county extension agent may step into the picture at this point and suggest that the interested wheat grower sow some of the new secd in a test plot. alongside some of the seed he and his neighbors have been using in the past. And when the old and the new varieties of wheat are up and are harvested, let the neighbors for miles around come in to compare them and decide whether or not the new variety is better than the old, and worth investing in. That is a thumbnail sketch of the wayv science is applied to agriculture ih this country. and it portrays a sys- tem that is the envy of many another nation. Sir Horace Plunkett, Ireland's great authority on agriculture. in 1928 was moved to describe the Department of Agriculture as “the most widely useful department in the world.” I am inclined to agree. and I only hope that its future will be as brilliantly successful as its past. Whether he knows it or not. every farmer in the United States is farm- ing differently today—and better—be- zuse of the scientific discoveries re- sultizg from State and Federal appro- priations. ~ ‘The average hour of man labor and the average acre of land is undoubtedly 20 to 30 per cent more productive today because of this scien- tific work. From the fundamental point of view—that of supplying the food and iber needed by our modern civilization— the millions of dollars spent by State and Federal agencies during the past generation have been abundantly worth while, Cites Mendel and Faraday. T appreciate that it is often difficult for the layman to see any earthly use in many of the things that scientists do and talk about doing. Of what value is it to you and to me. for instance, for a man to spend his time trying to dis- cover the workings of nature? How' can a man—we are inclined to say—do anything useful unless he works directly with the things that we all can touch and see, that we know have practical utility? Well. when confronted by questions like that. I think of men like Faraday and Mendel. and some of the scientists in the employ of the Federal Govern- ment. About a hundred years ago, in England. Michael Faraday was what we might call an experimental philosopher. He never concerned himself with the invention of machines. His sole aim | was (o learn something about the work- | ings of nature. He discovered the | principle of eiectromagnetic induction, | and if you remember your high school science. you will recall that without that discovery. we would today have no means of putting electrical energy to| work for us. Without Faraday, the' amazing inventions of Edison and Mar- | coni_ would not have been possible, and | your radio ang your electric lights would | not exist. And Mendel, that cloistered Moravian monk, who whiled away the hours study- ing plants. and experimenting with the cross-breeding of varieties of garden | peas—of what earthly use was all that? | He did it because it interested him. But was it of any use to the rest of us?, 1 can assure you that it was, for the | principles he discovered have been em- | ployed by the plant breeders of today in developing more productive varieties of every plant that feeds and clothes | you. Scientists like Mendel and Far; day were working in what we call pure scierice. They were trying to discover | nature's fundamental secrets, but with- out thought of any practical application of their discoveries. Had some over- | zealous aaministrator tried to restrict their_curiosity to some specific object, or the immediate solution of some highly practical problem. we would have been deprived. in all probability, of their great discoveries, Applied Science. It falls upon another group of scien- tists to apply these basic principles to | the pressing problems of the world, and | turn them to practical account. Thus most of the scientific research in Gov- ernment departments is applied science. The surprising thing, however. is that even in the field of applied sciedce far- reaching discoveries are made, often as a by-product of the immediate task. One of the most famous examples was the discovery by scientists in the De- partment of Agriculture some 40 years PROMOTED He was 2 good man, the best in the office, but they never once gave him 2 promotion. He couldn’t understand. A friend, who had more bravery than caution, set him straight. “Why don’t you get vour- self 2 new suit and fur- nishings? Make yourself look like somebody.” He took the advice. Opened a charge account at The Hecht Co. Pretty-ed him- self. Now, not only is he the best man, but also the best-paid man. Improved Service | = Chicago The CAPITOL LIMITED, Other fine, fast trains for Chicago Leave Washington 1:30 p.m., $:00 p.m, 120 midnight. For reservations or information *phose District 3300 Woodward Bidg. 1th and H Ste. N. W. Ev. Washington Ar. Chicago Later departure and tier arrival Thé running time of the air-conditioned CAPITOL LIMITED—famous for homelike comiort—is now 17.- hours and 30 minutes from Washington to Chicago— no faster train on any railroad between these cities. Because of the air-conditioned service the CAPITOL LIMITED is the healthiul way to travel—it's quiet and restiul—dirt, dust, and smoke eliminated—tem- perature controlled the year stantly and evenly circulated 'round—fresh air con- through each car. Enjoy the Sunroom-Observation-l.ounge, the cozy Club car, and the delicious meals at reasonable prices in the colonial diner. CAPITOL LIMITED is the only completely aiv-conditioned train between Washington and Chicago e NO EXTRA FARE | department. 1 ot s e e e EoasioT Anats | Eiams o Y o e e bably are familiar with th of cattle is, the cause of splenetic | choice steak or pork chops from cattle | you probably are familiar wi e rise | men discovered, aft 3 fever, and that ‘the disease is trans- | or hogs fed on. alfalfa and wybelnl,‘ e o deal tpn hoak) mitted by the cattle tick. - edies, treatment by skilled rians, alike proved futile. The disease was costing the live stock Industry, and ultimately the consumer of meat, many millions of dollars. The four Départment of Agriculture scientists, in-the employ of the Gov- |or sample a package of dates or a During the years 1888 to 1893 four crate of navel oranges from California, [ years ago tung oil revolutionized the men spent most of their time trying or the new Satsuma oranges from Plor-' to make that diseovery. Splenetic fever ida—whenever you enjoy any of these | had become a costly disease of cattle| things you are reaping the benefit of | in 1905 David Pairchild, plant explorer throughout the S8outh. Homemade rem- | the work done by a handful of ex- of the Department of Agriculture, veterina- | plorers employed by the Department brought the first seeds of the tung trees to the United States from the Yangtz: | of Agriculture. ernment because they wanted to pur- | sue sclentific reseerch without interrup- tion, and at salaries sadly out of line with their warth to the Nation—these men kept doggedly on the job despite all sorts of obstacles and disappoint- ments. The joy of achievement was their chief reward. And their achieve- ment proved to be of lasting benefit not only to the live stock industry, but to all pankind,.for their research was the first demonstration that a mi- crobial disease;can be transmitted ex- clusively by an insect host or carrier. Control. of Yellow Fever. From that ‘came the knowledge, at the hands of other scientists, that yel- low fever, malaria, sleeping sickness and other maiadies are similarly transmitted From that flowed the successful con- trol of yellow. feyer, for instance, which in turn made possible the building of the Panama Canal. So it can truth- ' fully be said that the success of four Department of Agriculture scientists in discovering the cause of a cattle dis- ease was a first step in the construc- tion of the Panhma Canal. ‘These scientists-——by name, Theobald Smith, Curtice, Kilgore and Salmon— of course had no idea of the far-reach- ing consequences of their discovery. They were intent on finding the cause of a cattle disease. not in discovering a fundamental “principle in medicine. But that happens often in scientific research. And at other times a sclentist may fail to solve one-problem. oniy to solve another unexpectedly. Not long ago some chemists in the Department of Agriculture were examining molds— fungus growths, .that is—to find one that would prodice tartaric acid. Pa- tiently they tested one after another, until they had exhausted the possibili- ties of 149 different molds. Finally ihe 150th rewarded their long search with success—but_not the success thev were expecting. Instcad of producing tar- taric acid, tae 150th mold unexpectedly produced gluconic acid. This is now used in making calcium gluconate, the only calcium salt“that can be injected between the muscles. without causing abscesses, in treating certain human diseases ~ This salt used fo cost $150 & pound. As a result of this research. it may now be had for pound Much of the scientific work of the however. calls for more than the ordinary equipment of a scien- tist. 1 am thinking of the plant ex- plorers, the men .who cut their way through treacherous jungles or press on across the forbidding deserts of Mon- golia in search of plants that we need here at home. Whenever you eat bread . 50 cents a The D. C, TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1933 ——ee Olive oil is nature’s great beautifier —and it’s olive oil that makes Palmolive green LEOPATRA knew the beauty value of C oliveand p%lm oils ;sodid other lovely women of her ime. And from that day to this, nothing has taken the place of those priceless, natural oils for skin protection. Palmolive Soap is the modern develop- ment of this age-old beauty formula. The only oils in Palmolive are the soothing beauty oils from the olive tree, the African palm, and the cocoanut palm —no other fats whatever. Thataccounts for Palmolive’s natural green color. That accounts, too, for its gende, mild, thorough cleansing. Palmolive refreshes the skin and keeps it supple and smooth. Now that Palmolive is selling at the lowest prices in history, give yourself the benefic of this finest of all beauty care for the bath, too. vial at the right shows the exact amount of olive olive we put snto each cake If you live in the Gulf Coast region | Valley of China. of a new industry down*there, growing of tung oil trees. minufacture of varnish, but the had to be imported from China. Our plant industry the experimentation, that the trees do we here, the he trees do well in the Gulf Coast regi industry s there. ANOL cvery trinp of a plant explorer, of cours>, i5 so productive A 1rin has its dangers and its adventures, but irequently the resuits ara slight. Yet the introduction of a navel orange, or 1. end th> new today firmly established oil Back | Beauty cleansing as prescribed byexperts Do this morning and eve- ning. Work a fine lather of Palmolive Soap and warm water gently but thor- ©oughly into the skin of face, neck and throat. Rinse with worm water, foliowed by cold. Feel, with delight, the new beauty cf your skin. a useful varicty of soy bean, or a hardy atones for many unsuccessful trips. Tn'one way or another. I have said, every farmer in the United States i3 % g today because of tha resulting from ropriations. To date as pos- . suppose we Tun down the list «Concinued on Eleventh Page.) A & P Coffees are expensive coffees —at the plantations in South Ameriea. As the world’s largest coffee buyer, we always have first choice of the crops. We pay an exira premium, when necessary, to obtain the quality we insist upon. But these fine coffees cost you little because we bring them t0 you from the planter direct—bought, shipped, distributed, roasted and sold—all by A & P and all at one small profit. And because they are roasted in our widely distributed local roasting plants, we are able to deliver them frequently to your neighborhood A & P Store, inexpensively packed, still in the bean, with all the flavor of freshly roasted coffee protected by nature’s own unbroken seal. Your coffee is then ground before your eyes exactly right for your method of making—and the aroma of oven-fresh coffee in every A & P Store is-your guarantes of the natural freshness of A & P Coffee. This is A & P Coffee Service. No other coffee merchant has it. So A & P alene ean offer you these expensive coffees at these low prices. AND REMEMBER, the coffee you' like best is the best for you, no matter what it costs: EIGHT 0°CLOC RED CIRCL BOKAR COFFEE RICH AND FULL-BODIED COFFEE VIGOROUS AND WINEY COFFEE MILD AND MELLOW 18- 214 2% Equal in quality, though different in flavor, these coffees are packed in the bean, ground fresh in the store. Bokar also packed “‘steel-cut”’, A &P COFFEE SERVICE ? g EXCLUSIVELY IN A a P FOOD STORES « THE COFFEE 70 SUIT YOUR TASTE ¢ \