The Washington times., 1925-02-09
OBJECT To
BUREAU
RULE
AgricuIturists Want Bill That
Provides Least U. S.
Interference
By WILLIAM HARD.


Charles Holman, Washington
representative of the National Co.
operative Milk Producers Fedora
ton and close associate of the
National Board of Farm 0rganiza-
: tions, appeared today before the
Committee on Agriculture of the
House of, Representatives on be-
half of a bill for agricultural re-
lief which is the direct opposite
of the Capper-W Williams bill sup
posed to have the support of Adj
ministration forces and the direct
opposite also Of the McNary-
Haugen bill supported by the
American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton.
Thus into the problem of agri-
cultural relief legislation there
was projected a three-cornered
fight which may possibly mean
that no such legislation of any
drastic character will be passed.
Would Reduce Interference.
The bill supported by Mr.. Holman,
who is one of the most experienced
and successful farm representatives
in washington. aims at reducing
Federal interference in agricultural
cooperative marketing problems to
q minimum.
This bill spurns the ideas OF the
McNary-Haugen bill, which would
establish an agricultural products
export Governmental corporation and
it spurns also even the ideas Of the
Capper. Williams bill which would
establish a Governmental body hay.
ing large rights of audit and of other
control over agricultural co-opera-
tive marketing societies.
This new bill, bearing the name or
Congressman Dickinson of Iowa, often
regarded as the main leader Of the
"Farna B1ocr in the House OF Repre-
eentatfves, proposes to establish
"F'ederaT GoroperatiVe Marketing
Board which in the first place VIII
consist OF persons principally named
really by the agricultural co-opefa-
tive marketing societies themselves
and which in the second place VIII
have really no coercive authority
Whatsoever over any agricultural
cooperative marketing society any,
where.
Fighting Bureaucracy.
This bill represents to the full
certain current revolt against what
In called Federal bureaucracy. 1t
has the complete support OF the
National Cooperative Milk Produc-
ers. Federation; it is in line with
ffe resolutions recently passed In
washington by the national board
n farm organizations in favor of
Federal assistance, but against Fed
aral regulation: and it comes ex-
tremely close to the ideas promul-
gated in Washington recently by
the National Council OF Farmers
Cooperative Marketing Associations
against Federal regulation and Fed
oral assistance both.
Situation Is Grotesque.
The following grotesque situation
in washington is thereupon pre-
scented:
The Presidents Agricultural Com
mission and the bulk Of sentiment
in Congress have winnowed out the
demands for farm legislation to the
point of concentrating on the idea
of passing a bill for the encourage
ment of agricultural cooperative
marketing.
The mass of agricultural CO.
operative societies, however, are
dubious of the notion of passing
any federal legislation whatsoever
on their behalf.
They wish principally to be let
alone.
However. further. If Congress
insists upon rescuing them. when
they do not wish to be rescued,
they are going to demand to be
rescued by the Dickinson bill
which rescues them federally
hardly at all.
1t is a case of a man who is
alleged to be drowning but who
claims that he is not drowning and
who, when he sees the Coast
Guard coming out to get him.
claims that he needs at the most
only little cheering from shore.
Bill Provides Cheering"
The Dickinson bill is designed
to provide the cheering and little
else, 1t calls upon agricultural
marketing societies in the United
States to nominate people to be
appointed by the President to be
members of Federal Cooper.
alive Marketing Board" and it
adds the Secretary OF Agriculture
TO this board as member of it.
and then it authorizes the board
to use the existing resources of the
Federal Government to do all those
things which by law can be done
to cheer and spur our cooperative
marketing societies forward in their
good work.
The idea behind this bill is that
II there has to be a bill why let &:
be a bill which produces the fewest
bureaucrats and does the least harm.
Battle WAKES Hot.
Thus a terrific combat energies
between the American Farm Bureau
Federation which rs a general agri-
cultural organization of all sorts of