The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-19
SENATOR'S CANNOT AGREE REGARDING
 DIAL AMENDMENT
SouthernerS Fail to Cooper ate in Behalf of Farmer and Against Cotton
 Exchanges
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau. The Age Herald.
 RUO Ia aVfdson KuiifiinR

Washington Bureau. The Age Herald,
 500 Davidson Building. Washington November 1S.~-(Spe- cialD--why is the New York. stock exchange exempt from the necessity of delivering to purchasers the exact grade of goods that they buy? This question is regarded as pertinent in view of the fact that senators who have professed fondness for the farmer of the south and a hatred of alleged manipulation by exchanges cannot agree regarding the Dial amendment.
 The amendment of the senator from South Carolina. as it reads today. would require the cotton exchanges to deliver that grade of cotton which the purchaser contracts to buy. The exchanges. irrespective of the con tract, may now deliver one of any 10 grades 1t selects. The present license of the board works disadvantageous- ly against the producer of the south. it is admitted. But southern sena- tors cannot agree. it seems, on what should be done.
 Senator Caraway of Arkansas does not warmly espouse the Dial amend ment because it does not go far enough" Mir Caraway stands for the abolishment of the exchanges. Sena- tor Heflin of Alabama, who has not committed himself in favor of the Dial amendment. In Senate speech this week exclaimed: Let us cut off the exchanges heads" Senator smith of South Carolina. regarding ths exchanges as a necessary medium of trading operations, in respect to the declaration of Mir. Heflin, said Why burn down a church because one preacher might be discredit to the eloth?" Senator Ransdell of New Orleans opposes the Dial amendment. He stands for the exchanges as they are presently regulated or not regu- lated, as the case might be.
 Accept Underwood Proposal
 It Is a great mystery why southern senators have not co-operated effec- lively in behalf of the farmer and against the cotton exchanges which in their every speech, they declare to be iniquitous. Last session B.. B. Conner, then senator from Alabama introduced an amendment requiring the cotton exchanges to deliver to purchasers one-half of the purchased amount in grades as good as mid ding.
 1t was not warmly espoused by the senators who most frequently speak about the 'fdowntrodden7 farmer. But he was fortunate enough to attach his amendment to an appropriation bill, and it went through the Senate. In the House. it died.
 This session Senator Dial of South Carolina introduced an amendment requiring the exchanges to deliver one half in grades selected by the purchaser and one-half in grades se- lected by the exchanges. Democratic senators caucused. Senator Under wood democratic leader. took the po- sition that it was fair that ex- changes be required to deliver the grade of cotton purchased. So strong was his argument that the caucus ac- cepted his position. Senator Dial ac- cordingly changed the wording of his amendment. But the agricultural committee, on which are several "cot- ton" senators, refused to act. And now Senator Dial is confronted with the apparent necessity of making an other change in his amendment. AS it stands now. 1t would restrict trad ing operators, he is informed. It Is suggested that he divide the grades of cotton into classifications. each consisting of three grades; and pro- vide that the purchaser buying one classification be delivered cotton as good as the average grade of that classification. With that change, 1t is said, trading will not be restricted, and the committee will be prepared to act favorably.
 Wants Fair Amendment
 Senator Dial states that he cares nothing regarding the ve- biage of the amendment. He wants a fair amend ment, one that will not put the ex- changes out of business and one that will not permit New York to prey at will on the producing farmers.
 That also was the attitude of ex- Senator Conner. In a recent letter to Senator Heflin he expressed surprise that southern senators had not agreed on a concerted course of procedure. and declared that Senator Smith Of South Carolina had opposed his own effort the preceding session. He con- cluded with the statement that the Dial amendment was far superior In it's benefcent promises to the farming interests than was his own
 But agreement is not yet in sight. At the same time every senator, with possibly a few exceptions, declares the exchanges. as presently operated, constitute a menace. Continuous de- lay constitutes a tantalizing mystery. It is not disputed that 1t gives the exchanges a constantly increasing advantage.