Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-12-28
Borah's Proposal For World
Conference Offers Chief
Obstruction
OPINIONS DIFFER
Senate Differs as to Best Plan For
Giving Financial Aid TO Farmers
Agricultural Committee lnvestigat-
ing Bills
nv United Prcss.)

Washington, Dec. 28--EXtenslon OF
additional federal assistance to the
farmer has again become subject to
/ indefinite delay.
Three things stand in the way of
expected legislation designed to heip
the farmer through the postwar de-
preston. these are:
THE Borah proposal for world
economic conference, offered as
rider to the Naval appropriation bill.
2-The subsequent delay that con-
sideration of the Borah proposal Will
impose upon passage of the appro-
priatioh bills in the Senate.
3-IndecisiOn on the part OF m
terested senator's as to what form or
legislation will be acceptable to the
administration.
1t has been made known that Presi-
dent Harding would consider the
calling Of an extra session only TO Sc
cure the passage of appropriation
bills or farm aid. Up to last week
it had been expected that the ap-
prooriation measures would be pushed
through both houses with such speed
as to leave plenty of time before
March for the enactment OF agfi-
tultural legislation.
The Borah economic conference
proposal, however, bids fair to precl-
pitate fight in the upper chamber
which will mean delay of works III
the legislative program.
Senatorial indecision as to the
form of farm aid most acceptable to
the administration has been primar-
jly responsible for the failure to date
of the Senate Banking and Currency
Committee to report out a bill. Sena-
tor Mclean, chairman, of Connectl-
cut, by the calling OF additional WIT
nesses and in other ways has held up
all definite action for the past month.
After long consideration, many sem
ators have come to the opinion that
a huge new federal corporation, SINH
lar to the War Finance Corporation.
and capitalized at many millions OF
dollars, or a new system of farm
banks, commensurate with the Federal
Reserve system, would be the most
practical method of aiding the farmer.
President Harding, in his message
10 congress, HOWcNtJ, lIlulSaISu 'H"N
extension OF existing agencies-such
as the widening of their powers and
the lowering of rates-would be most
desirable, and in this view many of
the farmer representatives, appear
ing before committee in the near
past, have coincided Therefore, many
of the senators are at loss as to
what form their legislation shall take.
The Norris Bill already has been
reported out the Agricultural COM
mittee, but this measure has received
no support and is certain of failure.
The Banking and Currency commit
tee has under consideration the Cap
per, Lenroot, Simmons: and Norbeck
bills. Portions of all of these have
been indorsed by various farm fac
tions, while other portions equally
have been condemned. Thus, the mem
Der of the committee are confronted
with the proposition either of formu-
lating a new bill based on portions Of
these four, or of throwing them all
out and starting anew.
Put against this is the certain pros
pect of q considerable delay in get
ting the consideration of the Senate
on any farm aid bill--a delay which
may even mean the convening of an
other extraordinary session of Con-
gress.