Remarks to Representatives of State Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committees.

Mr. Secretary, Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Congressman Jensen, ladies and gentlemen:

First, I want to express what I think is the appreciation of all those who are concerned about the welfare of the farmers to our distinguished Secretary, who has worked I think tirelessly. Even though he may not have always proposed programs which every farmer agrees with, I think every farmer does agree that they have now a Secretary of Agriculture who is committed to their progress.

I do want to also tell you how pleased I am to welcome you, and how much we depend upon you. This tremendous increase in productivity in American farms, which has been the result of your work and, that of your predecessors, is really the most astonishing phenomenon in the free world; and it has been the source of the greatest pride and satisfaction to us.

This is one area where our production serves as the strongest magnet to people all over the world who stand in a crossroads, attempting to decide which road they shall travel.

Our problem is one of overproduction, one of our ability to produce more than we can consume at reasonable prices. The problem of our adversary is, of course, underproduction. And where we have a world in which in so many areas 50, 60, 70, or 80 percent of the people in every nation are committed to the growth of food, this is bound to have the most impressive effects.

So that when we talk about agriculture we should talk about it with pride and not always talk about it as one of our great problems or burdens. It is, really, one of the great success stories of the United States-and of the whole free world.

In addition, we have to recognize that with this great success story there has come special responsibilities upon us as a people. The Federal Government, after all, is not an organic entity itself, but it is the common interests of all the people, and therefore we are concerned because we depend upon the farmers as consumers. The farmers themselves, who work long and hard, as you know better than anyone, must be assured, for their labor, of an adequate return. And that is what we are attempting to provide.

Now we have to attempt within our governmental policies to provide an adequate balance between supply and demand. If the Government should withdraw its efforts, as some people favor, then there would be a collapse of farm prices, as we saw in the twenties, and disaster would follow from the farms to the cities.

If the Federal Government's policies are merely ineffective, we will have the surpluses piling up, the tremendous cost to the taxpayers, until ultimately the people who live in other sections of the country will grow tired and weary and will refuse to support agricultural policies that promise no solution.

So that we have to promise that there is going to be a solution, that the costs may be high, but at least we are moving towards an adjustment between supply and demand which will protect the interests of the farmer and the consumer and also protect the interests of all the people expressed through their National Government.

We depend upon you to help us achieve that balance, which is most difficult. If it were easy it would have been done long ago--others have tried and failed and the farmers paid a heavy cost in that failure.

We are attempting to meet a problem which is difficult, which is challenging, but nevertheless a problem which I think we can meet. And as I say, while you are prohibited by custom and law, quite rightly, from involving yourselves in any particular agricultural program, or recommending it, or lobbying it, nevertheless we do value very highly the communication which goes from here to you, because you are our most direct link with the farmers themselves--and you are all farmers--and also what comes from you to us.

Your help last year in the feed grain program was greatly appreciated. It helped insure its success, and we are therefore particularly glad that in the spring--which is the great time of the year for farmers--that you have come to Washington for 2 days to exchange your views with the Secretary.

I hope this will be an exchange not merely from us to you but from you to us, because we live in a rather isolated area. It's not a particularly agricultural center here in Washington, and we depend upon you to tell us what farmers are thinking--not merely what we hear through their organizations and the leaders of their organizations, but what they themselves are thinking. And that's where you serve a most valuable purpose.

We hope you will also see the Members of Congress and acquaint them and the Senators. We don't want them to be, as the Secretary said, lonesome.

I want to tell you again how glad we are to welcome you here. I see some familiar faces, and I hope you will go back from Washington and tell the farmers of America that we are genuinely concerned about their progress, that our efforts are genuinely directed towards insuring their welfare--and that the Secretary of Agriculture represents the farmers in this administration.

Thank you.