Evening star., 1925-02-11
congress LEADERS
PRESS FARM RELIEF
Considering Legislation for
Action in Remaining Three
Weeks of Session.

The problem of working out a farm
relief program, to be pressed Ior
action in the remaining three weeks
of the session, continued to occupy
the Senate and House agriculture
committees today, both having called
members of the Presidents agr1cul-
tural conference for questioning on
the conference recommendations
Chairman Carey OF the conference
was the first witness on the House
commuters list for the day, while
the Senate committee had called
William NJ Jardine to continue his
explanation of the conference pro-
posals begun yesterday.
Chairman Hsugen of the House
committee, who had drafted for COM
n1ittee study today a bill to carry out
the conference mmenda auons with
regard to cooperative marketing,
Continued optimistic as to the chances
of getting this feature Of the pro-
gram through Congress before ad-
1ournment
senate Members Doubtful.
Some members OF the Senate COM
mittee. however, were frankly doubt
full that their committee itself. could
reach any agreement on a farm aid
program, and more so that any sub
stantial program could be put
through the Senate in the short time
rem naming.
The House, in the meantime. has
moved forward speedily to carry out
part of the conference program by pass
ing and sending to the Senate the Strong
and Purnell bills. The Strong bill, passed
Yesterday. would permit national agri-
cultural credit organizations to redis-
count notes with the Federal ntermedi-
ate credit banks.
Although designed primarily to aid
cattle raisers, it's advantages would ex-
tend to all farming activities The
Purnell bill. put through at the same
time, would increase the amount of Fed
eral aid to agricultural experiment sta
tons
Asks Modification OF Act.
Mr.. Jardine told the Senate committee
there should be a. modification of the
act which prohibits a carrier divulging
information regarding shipments so
that we would have the legal right to
know how many cars of product are
en- route on a given day to a certain
market"
The right of cooperative marketing
associations to pool their products and
to adopt joint production programs
goes TO the heart of the whole problem
OF orderly marketing" he said
I'm wondering IL your scheme is not
a duplication Of existing facilities" said
SENATOR McNary, Republican, Oreeon
There is House bill which would put
co-operatives outside the operation of
the Sherman and Clayton acts and YOUR
information exchange already is found
In the Agricultural Department market"
couldn't the Secretary OF Aerf-
culture now tell the farmer that he
should regulate production in specific
commodities, asked Chairman Norris.
Republican, Nebraska
Il think he would violate the laws"
replied Mr.. Jardine.
HauEen Bill Acceptable. ~
Chairman Carey of the conference
told the House committee that the
Dill framed by Chairman Haugen WAS
acceptable to the conference in all
but one provision and that was not
vital The measure would amend
the Capper-Eolstead act to permit co.
operative associations to organize and
operate both terminal marketing and
clearing mouse agencies without con-
Hict with the antitrust laws a. long
as the co-operatives' membership was
made UP exclusively of producers.
Vt also would create a Federal CO.
operative marketing board, to be made
up of the Secretary of Agriculture
and four members appointed by the
President, with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate Mr. Carey favor
ed inclusion of the Secretary of Com
merce, but said this was not of prime
Importance.
Agencies May Register.
Other farming agencies. such as
dealers, would be permitted under
the bill to register with the Federal
board, but would not be granted i'm
munity to antitrust laws, as would
producers organizations The bill
also would authorize the appropri-
alton of $500,000 to assist in starting
the work.
Mr.. Casey said he believed the sue
cess Of the proposed legislation would
depend to a large extent on the type
Of men selected to make up the orig
inal membership of the board.