, GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 1027 



that would, possibly, prevent the expansion of the industry. If it is 

 true that under existing govermneotal policies we are expected to 

 import most of our tung od, then I presume you are not in a position 

 here to justify an expansion of the industrj^ in this country. But it 

 occurs to me that it is a good deal like the sugar situation, where we 

 are trying to maintain an existing volume of production of sugar in 

 this country but at the same time we have not permitted producers 

 to expand to any considerable extent. 



The reason I am suggesting this is because I think you have made 

 out a case as a war industry that has the right to maintain itself to 

 the point to which it had developed during the war. But I am not 

 sure that you have made out a case for an expansion of that industry 

 indefinitely because apparently it is an industry which has sharp 

 competition from other countries where the product can be produced 

 much more cheaply. 



Mr. KowLANBS. Of course, I am not thoroughly posted on the 

 matter of products coming from countries where labor is very cheap, 

 but I think it will absolutely destroy om- economy. I think the best 

 thing the Government could do is this. If they look upon us as a 

 war industry, and I think that can be proved, because they com- 

 mandeered all of our oil and took it out of circulation during the 

 period of the war, we might ask for relief under the same sort of con- 

 tract that they had with other industries; probably have them pay 

 us for our orchards, and we will then destroy them. Because we can- 

 not go on this way. It means a terrific loss. Our people are suffering 

 from it. 



This was a very good income for small farmers. It was a money 

 crop and it was very satisfactory and they were all pepped up over it. 



Of course, we in the South have always been called an economic 

 problem. In our little county. Pearl River County. 10 years ago we 

 had the lowest farm income per family and through tung oil and 

 cattle and cover crops we are up second from the top. You can see 

 what it means to our part of the country. 



Mr. Hope. How much of that is due to tung oil and how much to 

 cattle and cover crops? 



Mr. Rowlands. They go together. I do not think I could work it 

 out for you. The three have been of great benefit to that country, 

 because when tung oil came in, we began to demonstrate that they 

 could raise cover crops. They never loiew they could down there. 

 It was just wild, cut-over land. 



Mr. Hope. You are referring to raising cover crops in the tung 

 orchards? 



Mr. Rowlands. Yes, sir. And they have expanded into dairying, 

 and so forth. 



If there are no other questions, gentlemen, thank you. 



Mr. Sutton. Since tung nuts are not classified as a basic com- 

 modity by the Secretary of Agriculture, and since you have said that 

 this was a wartime product, would you think it right for us to vote 

 you 90 percent of parity when we are not voting 90 percent of parity 

 even for wheat or corn? 



Mr. Rowlands. I am going to have to answer that this way. I 

 am not so well posted on these parity plans, but I think before you 

 get through, in order to keep agriculture stable — -and it is the founda- 

 tion stone of our Government — you are going to have to grant 90 

 percent parity. 



