Agriculture is on the threshold of a major two-ply objective-to do its part in national defense and to maintain the parity program that is already demonstrating its worth, H.B. Test, Frederick, president, said in his annual address here Tuesday at an opening session of the 24th annual convention of the South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation.

"The farm program," he declared, "can be made to work and is working. The big thing now is to maintain what has been gained and to seek to get others of the three great groups of the economic pattern--industry and labor--to accept also the parity concept."

Agriculture has a big job ahead to maintain the program, for, Test warned, the "program will be needed more at the end of the present situation than ever before. Unless we continue the program we may lose it when the slump comes, as it surely will, and we will be in the same position as at the end of World War I."

"Building" Theme

Farm Bureau members and leaders from throughout the state opened the convention at 10 a.m. on a theme of "Building for Today and for Tomorrow."

Tuesday's full program will be climaxed with an annual banquet at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by committee meetings and election of officers Wednesday and an executive committee meeting Thursday.

The Rev. E. Jerome Pipes of the Episcopal church offered invocation at the first session, while greetings from Rapid City were extended by Tom Johnston of behalf of the Chamber of Commerce. Music included piano numbers by Mrs. Franklin Dvorak. Response to the address of welcome was given by A.W. Pearson, Hartford, a member of the executive committee. Following appointment of committees A.W. "Andy" Palm, Huron, secretary and extension director, gave his annual report and Mrs. Eugene Swenson, Brandon, home and community chairman, and E.A. Johnson, Harwarden, Iowa, organization director also reported, followed by President test's annual address.

Long Time Leader

Test has been president of the state federation for 12 years.

Speakers during the afternoon were to be Mrs. Edith Young, Scenic, state agricultural adjustment administration; John Hepler, Brookings, extension director of State college; Ross Davies, Brookings, co-ordinator for the department of agriculture, and K.A. Kirkpatrick, Minneapolis, Minn., hospitalization specialist.

Test will be toastmaster for the banquest, with Dr. Lyman E. Jackson, president of State college, Brookings, as the main speaker. The Rev. Seth R. Huntington of the Congregational church will give invocation and Mrs. Stanton W. Neil will sign.

Awards

The awarding of a distinguished service award to some Farm Bureau member will be a feature of the program, as will also the awarding of a cup to the county having the largest membership. Mrs. Swenson will lead a "funfest" to conclude the entertainment.

"Parity is still the major concern of agriculture," Test continued in his annual address.

"Some may deplore class legislation, but a study will show that that is about all we have. Agriculture is accused of looking for government benefits, unwarrantedly, some think, but agriculture still has not secured a position comparable with industry and labor. Through the farm program we have approached it, and the Farm Bureau has worked on and for it. In the past eight years agriculture has secured more favorable legislation than in all previous history.

Fight for Control

"Always in times of strife," he continued, "there is a tendency for al groups to try and gain an advantage. If agriculture is to continue with the parity concept, we must endeavor to keep other groups from running away with the situation.

"Price control is a 'hot' issue in Washington," Test declared, pointing out that agriculture has not yet thoroughly approved of it; "but, if there is to be price control it must cover wages of industry and labor as well as agricultural prices."

Speaking of certain types of food on which increased production is asked by te government, Test warned that there are still surpluses of wheat, cotton and corn and in order to maintain 85 percent of parity loans, the control program must be continued.

Surplus Feeds

"We must prove the agricultural adjustment program is a program of adjustment and not of scarcity by ocnvrting surplus feed crops into types of commodities that will be greatly needed during the coming years, both for domestic consumption and for the democracies fighting aggression," Test said.

Agriculture's immediate opportunity for progress is great, he said. "Because of the fact that our exports, such as dairy products and pork, have increased enormously the past year and that the export market will widen still more the coming year, agriculture has a splendid opportunity not only to do its part in defense, but to profit itself in so doing. Prices have been stabilized by the government until Dec. 31, 1942, at 85 percent of parity, giving agriculture its first year assured of what it may expect."

Martin Swedling, Beresford, is vice-president of the State Farm Bureau, while members of the executive committee include Mrs. Swenson, Brandon; Pearson, Hartford; R.P. Johnson, Rapid City; Claude A. Barr, Smithwick: Amos Green, Harwarden; Allen Sperry, Bath, and E.L. Schultz, Redfield.

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Transcribed by Robert W. Test 4/16/2000