AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION

The serious economic condition of the farmers following the World War made it nece ary to give special attention to methods for remedying as much as po ible these disadvantages. ‘The conditions were brought about chiefly by the disorganized state of most of the countries of Europe, which, while they were nearly all suffering from diminished agricultural production, were not able to purchase the surplus needed in the United States. There were, in add i_ tion, domestic conditions which worked to a disadvantage in the farming communities of the country. Various measures were introduced in Congre in 1921, 1922 and 1923, all with the purpose of placing the farmer on a more economic foundation. The Emergency Tariff Bill was pa ed in 1921 but was vetoed by President Wilson. This imposed high duties on ee a various farm products. President Wilson also vetoed a measure providing’ 'for the revival of the War Finance Cora poration which made large purchases of agricultural products. This, however, was pa ed over his veto. At the extra se ion of the 67th Congre in April, 1921, there developed the movement a which resulted in the formation by a group of Senators and Representatives, > Sa of the so-called agricultural bloc. This consisted of about 20 members of the Senate and many more members of the House. The members of this bloc ignored party lines and centered their activities on the pa age of legislation designed to benefit the farmer. Although numerically in the minority, they were able to control and influence much of the legislation formulated by Congre and to bring about the pa age of several important measures. On August 15, 1921, a bill was pa ed regand its products. Under this measure © packers engaged in interstate commerce are prohibited from unfair or deceptive practices and from controlling prices — or otherwise creating a pa An Emergency Tariff Law, signed by P. ident Harding on May 27, 1921, im Sa high duties on a number of farm redone: The War Finance Corporation of 1918 was amended in August, 1921, with a view to a isting producers of, and dealers in agricultural products, for providing special credit facilities in foreign markets. Another credit measure authorized additional deposits by the Secretary of the Treasury in the Federal land banks to provide a larger working capital for loans. The leaders of the agricultural bloc 4m 1922 succeeded in influencing the pa age of a law to provide for a representative of agriculture on the Federal Reserve Board. Measures to provide rural credits were introduced in the ie year, but were not pa ed until 1923. A law! was also enacted by Congre fin 1922, which brought the various grain future exchanges under the Supervision of the Department of Agriculture. In foreign countries legislative bodies also pa ed measures affecting agriculture. In Great Britain the Agricultural Act of 1920 came into operation on January 1, 1921. This measure was intended to make permanent many of the war time provisions of the Corn Production Act of 1917 which guaranteed. prices for wheat and oats, the regulation of farm wages, and the enforcement of the proper elevation of lands. This measure, however, was largely repealed in October, 1921. Systems of Jand reform went into effect in Greece, Mexico, Poland and Portugal.