THE WHEAT INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21265, 20 February 1931, Page 9

THE WHEAT INDUSTRY

A CONFERENCE PROPOSED. MORE ORDERLY MARKETING. (United Presa Association.) (By E’ectrlo Telegraph-Copyright.) OTTAWA, February 18. Representations have been made to the Canadian Government, it was stated today, that a conference should be held, in which Russia, Australia, Argentine, United States, and Canada should participate for a discussion of the wheat situation. It is understood that so far the Canadian Government does not take kindly to such a conference, the proposal for which emanated from Washington advocates, quoting Mr Alexander Legg, the retiring chairman of the United States Farm Board, as stating that such a conference might be advantageous, possibly disclosing on the part of Russia readiness to agree to more orderly marketing, thus assuring better prices for all producing countries. AID FOR AMERICAN FARMER. WASHINGTON, February 18. The chairman (Mr Legge) appealed to the House Ways and Means Committee to-day for emergency action for aid for United States farmers. He said: “It is immaterial to us whether relief is by embargo, a tariff increase, or change of procedure of the Tariff Commission.” He endorsed the Burtness Bill for a 12 months’ embargo on certain agricultural products, which was originally introduced to include wheat, feed grains, butter, and butter substitutes. Representative Burtness (Republican, North Dakota) had expanded the measure to wheat, flour, eggs, beans, and palm oil. “ I agree with the list in the Bill in the main,” Mr Legge said. There were one or two items that other sections might be interested in. He suggested wool and flax.

Discussing- the Tariff Act, Mr Legge said that its flexible provisions were inoperative on farm products and the in-< vestigations required would take too long to be of value. He added: “ The world is in the gravest distress of any time in our lifetime, and we won’t be increasing our popularity by an embargo, but other nations have resorted to such measures. Representative Burtness said: “They have not been included because domestic production does not meet the demand.” THE PARIS CONFERENCE. LONDON, February 18. (Received Feb 19, at 5.5 p.m.) The Evening Standard says that both Australia and Canada made representations to Britain to guard their interests at the Wheat Conference at Paris on February 23. The Standard understands that the real object is to see how a European union by internal economic adjustment can obviate the necessity for imports from the dominions and Argentina.