The Washington herald., 1920-02-17
MANY DEALERS
OPPOSE ENDING
GRAIN CONTROL
Representatives from West
Tell Agriculture Com
mittee of Views.
|GRONNA BILL SCORED
oklahoma Farmers Union
Wants Grain Corpora
ton Continued.
GRONNA BILL SCORED

Unanimous opposition TO the pas
sage of the Gronna bill to abolish the
United States Grain Corporation was
expressed by nearly a dozen repre-
sentatives of farmers, wheat growers,
dealers and bakers, in a hearing be-
fore the Agriculture Committee OF the
Senate yesterday afternoon and
evening.
The hearing continued until 10
o clock last night and will be resumed
today and Wednesday. At today's
hearing a subcommittee, represent
ing grain exchanges in Chicago. Mil
waukee, Minneapolis. Duluth, Omaha
Kansas City, st. Joseph, ST. Louis,
Baltimore, Philadelphia and the New
York Produce Exchange, will present
composite statement representing
the views of the grain exchanges. all
of which are opposed to the bill. AT
Wednesdays hearing representatives
of various farmers unions will enter
their protests.
a feature Of the testimony yester-
day was the demand of John A.
Simpson. president OF theOklahoma
Farmers Union, and State Senator
Fred w. Mish. OF Maryland. that, in
stead Of the Grain Corporation being
abolished and the guarantee on
wheat repealed, both should be ex-
tended. Mr.. Mish wanted the time
extended one year. while Mr.. Simp-
son insisted upon three years.
Other witnesses asked only that the
corporation be allowed to continue
until ii expired under the law on
June of this year.
Affected Market.
Don Livingston, marketing COM
missioner of South Dakota. de-
clared that as soon as the Gronna
bill was introduced in the Senate
the bottom dropped out of the
wheat market. He presented teIe-
grams from organizations repre-
senting 10000 farmers protesting
against the measure.
I NJ G. Gauike. secretary OF the
Farmers and Grain Dealers Ex-
change, from Gronna' own State,
North Dakota, declared that with
grain exports checked because of
the exchange situation and eIeva-
tors filled because of a shortage OF
cars. that wheat prices would sag
unless the guarantee were main
tanned.
The farmers and grain dealers
of my State" he said. do not want
the United States Grain Corpora
tion abolished. 1t would leave US
in a very embarrassing situation.
We are not satisfied to swap horses
IN the midst of a stream and sub
stttute for the Grain Corporation
some government agency that may
be worse than nothing so far as
protecting the farmer is concerned.
Control Satisfactory.
Frankly, We are afraid that the
bottom will fail out of the wheat mar
ket IL the guarantee is removed at
this time. The Grain Corporation has
functioned In a very satisfactory man.
ner so far; II has only three more
months TO run. SO why not let il fin
ish its course?"
Three men representing the bakers,
Douglas w. Lackey. of the Corn Mil
lers' Federation, Chicago; VI. ]. Horan,
of the National Federation of Flour
Clubs, Philadelphia. and +. H. Hickok.
counsel for the American Association
OF Baking Industries. New York, took
the stand that the government should
continue control of the wheat guaran-
tee and live up to the contracts made
by the Grain Corporation.
Plenty of Grain.
While some of the witnesses de-
clared they had no objection to the
elimination of the present personnel
OF the Grain Corpora ton. they insisted
that the wheat guarantee must be
maintained by the government through
some agency.
Mr.. Livingston took an opportunity
to criticize the Railroad Administra-
ton. and declared he would welcome
the time when the railroads were re-
turned to private owners. The grain
elevators of the Northwest. he said,
are bursting with wheat. and its most
Ia, oarS rannOf ha ohtoinad RI