The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-13
RE VOL I IS
| SEEN #
VETOED
Great Middle West. Strong
hold Of COP, Demands Aid
Such as Given Industries
BY WILLIAM HARD,

BY WILLIAM HARD,
Developments today indicated
clearly that beyond the immigra-
ton bill, and beyond the taxation
reduction bill, and beyond every
thing else, the McNary-H augen
agricultural relief bill is the OUT
standing national political prob
lem which the PRESIDENT now has
to meet.
The bill goes counter to many
of the Presidents most deeply
cherished ideas. It brings into
existence q vast Governmentally
owned and Governmentally oper.
ated machine for buying farm
products and for selling them
abroad. It takes the Government
deeper into daily detailed CONNER
cial business than any other legis-
lative proposal which ever has
stood any immediate chance Of ar
irving at the White House for
Presidential approval or veto.
Presidents Soul Rebels.
The Presidents Vermont soul re-
bells against this western adventure
into governmental business activity.
The Presidents mind, nevertheless,
has come to grips with the political
fact that in the States west of the
Alleghenies, and particularly in the
States west Of the Mississippi, a
multitude Of farmers are now
looking at the McNary- Haugen bill
a. the ultimate test Of whether or
not the tariff protection principles
OF the Republican party are for the
benefit OF the western farmers or
only for the benefit of the eastern
manufacturers.
The McNary- Haugen bill is going
TO have the support of many mod
crate Senators, and even Of certain
reactionary Senators in addition to
the support which It will have from
the radical and farmer-laborite SEN
ators.
The authors Of the bill. in fact.
ere by no means Farfner-Laborites
They belong rather to what might
BE- called the middle moderate
group.
Shocks Eastern Conservatives.
The bill which they have brought
forward 10 shocking to Eastern con-
sentative sentiment. Inquiry de-
velops the fact, hewever. that a
demand for the bill is widely preva-
lent among Western Republican
farmers who have been staunch,
reliable propertied Republicans but
who now are making their loyalty
70 the Republican party depend
upon whether or not the Republi-
can party, as they see the situa.
don, succeeds in rescuing them as
well as in rescuing the Eaetern
manufacturers against European
world competition.
Senator Capper, head Of the SEN
atcrial farm bloc and owner Of
numerous farm periodicals. which
keep him in touch with farm senti-
ment, said to this writer today:
Wanted BY Farmers.
'"There Is no doubt in my mind
that the farmers Of the West want
this bill. Their Individual letters
prove it. Also, It IL proved by the
behavior Of virtually all Of the i'm
portant organizations or farmers.
1.-THE Farm Bureau Federation,
the Farmers Union, the Grange,
and virtually every other group Of
farmers out my way IL In favor Of
this bill. -
"It represents a belief on their
part that the government has
helped the manufacturers and has
helped the railroads and ought to
help the farmers"
If the McNary.Haugen bill goes
through Congress 1t will not go
through on its own merits, what
ever they may be. In themselves.
It will go through on the PROPOSE
, ton that the Government has erti.
ficially helped other industries and
that therefore now it ought artifi-
cially to help the agricultural in.
dustry.
McNary Clears Points.
Senator McNary, the Senatorial
author Of the bill, made this point
abundantly clear today in a state
ment to this writer. He said:
1.-THE bill introduced by Congress.
man Haugen and myself IL the
farmers test Of the whole Repub-
lican tariff system. The tariff .sys.
tenn protects the manufacturer
against European prices.
"This bill protects the farmer
against having the prices of his
products determined by the sales Of
his surplus in European markets at
European levels.
"It brings It about that the farmer
shall get American prices for his
products when sold In America.
It further permits him, through q
himself thereafter to pay for the
losses sustained in selling q certain
minor fraction Of his products
abroad. The tariff has made Amer
lean prices for manufacturers.
This bill enRcts the only feasible
method so far suggested Of making
and ensuring American prices for
farmers. The farmers OF the West
regard It, as the test OF the American
protective system"
G. 0. p. Bolt Threatened.
This situation means simply that
the Western Republican farmers in
considerable numbers are threaten
Ing to stop being Republicans unless
they get their share or quota of
what they regard as Republicanism
in legislation. They do not regard
the McNary -Haugen bill as radical
ism. They regard 1t simply al good or.
thodox RepublicaniSm passed evenly
and fairly around.
Persons close TO the President
tell this writer that the President
will veto the McNary- Haugen bill.
Other persons who have recently
seen the president say that he will
accept 1t X Congress passes II. The
iAct IL that he IL presented with
the greatest and most difficult III.
lemma Of his career.
a he East from which he nomaa.