Evening star., 1923-07-31
SENATORS INSIST
ON EXTRA SESSION
Johnson, Brookhart, Frazier
and Shipstead Sent TeIe->
gram to President.
By the Associa ted Press

By the Associa ted Press.
MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi, July 81
President Harding was urged to call
an extra session Of Congress without
delay to deal with agricultural prob
lens affecting the nation at a con-
ference of four northwestern senators
here yesterday.
The session was attended by Sena-
tors Smith w. Brookhart of Iowa,
Lynn J. Frazier of North Dakota, and
Senators-elect Magnus Johnson and
Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota.
After several conferences the sena-
tors agreed that an extra session
should be called at once. but decided
to put forward no plan for fixing the
price of wheat or taking up the sur
plus.
Word to President.
The telegram, signed by each of the
senator's, was sent to the President
at San Francisco, in care of Brig.
Gen. Sawyer, the Presidents physical n,
with the request that 1t be delivered
when the Presidents health permits"
1t set forth that the condition of
agriculture threatens a national ca
lamity, and that only an extraordi-
nary session of Congress can avert
the calamity.
tors-elect have announced they would
join the La Toilette faction In Con-
gress. Senator La Toilette. however,
has stated his opposition to an extra
session of Congress at this time. -
No agreement was reached on plans
for stabiiizing the wheat price. Sem
ators Brookhart and Frazief are in
accord on Brookharts plan to fix the
price on the entire crop. raise the
tariff in order'that no wheat may be
domestic markets will consume and
have the government take over the
balance at the fixed price.
should Raise Tariff.
Put up the tariff so they can't buy
outside and they will have to take
the wheat at the hxed price," Senator
Brookhart said.
Senator-elect Shipstead declared
that he has reliable Information that
the report of the Secretary of Agri-
culture that there are 100000, 900
bushels of wheat surplus is erroneous.
Il have information from a reli-
able source that there is very little
surplus" he said. Il have investi-
gated this information and l am will
ing to accept 1t rather than the De-
partment of Agriculture report"
IF it is true" Brookhart inter
rupted. that the Secretary of Agri-
cultures report on the surplus is not
true. then he Is the worst scoundrel
in the country"
Estimates OF Crop.
1t was said that Senator Brook
the domestic consumption will reach
65o,000,000 bushels OF a short crop of
approximately 100000 bushels,
leaving 100,000,oo0 bushels for the
government to take up and dispose
of after the domestic market has been
supplied.
Senator-elect Shfpstead, while declar-
ing his willingness to take any action
deemed advisable to bring immediate
aid to the farmers. suggested a future
price fixing, which he argued would
establish a price against which the
buyers of wheat would have to bid.
For example, IL the price is fixed
as of the date July 1. 1924, the buyers
previous to that time will have to bid
against that price. and the farmers can
hold the wheat until the bidders offer
high enough price to warrant the
farmers selling" he said.
Based on Production.
He declared the future price should
be a fair price, based on production.
Senators Brookhart and Frazier took
exception to this plan on the ground
that the farmers would be unable to
wait for the fair price" and would be
forced to sell for less.
II believe the wheat should be taken
up now" Frazier said. 'as the farmers
are heavily mortgaged and will be un-
able to hold their wheat for a future
price. ] want to see the increase i'm
There should be no delay"
Magnus Johnson, the new farmer
labor senator from Minnesota, was de-
layed in reaching the conference, and
took no part in the open discussion in
the presence of newspaper men. After
his arrival the reporters were excluded
rom the conference.