Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-25
Executive, in Lengthy Mes
sage to Senate, Appends
Attorney Generals Ruling
Holding 1t Unconstitutional.
McNARY WILL NOT SEEK
TO REPASS LEGISLATION
White House Expresses Sympathy
. With Status of Agriculture, Say
ing Other Plans Promise Sound
Assistance and Would Be Given
His Approval.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
President Coolidge today vetoed
the McNary- Haughen farm relief
bill.
In a lengthy message to the Sen
ate, explaining his refusal to approve
the bill, the President declared that
il was unsound economically. he
attached to his message an opinion OF
Attorney General Sargent that the
measure was unconstitutional.
The Presidents argument against
the bill was directed to the American
farmer himself. He pointed out the
ills which would accrue to the farm
er il the bill were enacted into law,
rather than the ills which would
come to the consumer. His message,
indeed, makes no appeal to the con-
sumner as against the farmer. 1t
seeks to convince the farmer himself
that the proposed measure OF reiief
is. in fact, no relief at all, but IN the
end calculated to impose a burden.
The veto sounds the death knell OF
the McNary Haugen bill. with its
equalization fee principle, for the pres
ent session of Congress.
Senator McNary of Oregon, VINO
sponsored the bill in the Senate, an
nounced he would make no move to
pass the bill over the Presidents veto.
Representative Haugen, Republican,
of Iowa, co-author of the measure,
said:
I've are very much disappointed.
Judging from the interest manifested
in real farm relief legislation, un-
doubleday the fight will go on to the
end, and in the end we shall WIN.
That is all I feel like saying now.
Votes Are Lacking.
It is realized by supporters of the
bill that it could not muster the two
thirds vote necessary to pass it, not
withstanding the disapproval of the
President. This is true In the Hoase
as we'll as in the Senate. They VIII
let the matter rest. therefore, with
the presidential veto.
The veto of the bill also puts an
end to all chance for farm relief legis-
lation during the present Congress,
although President Coolidge in his
message expresses his sympathy with
the farmers Of America, and points
out that other legislative remedies for
the farmer have been proposed which
might receive his approval.
Regret to President.
President Coolidge said in his mes.
sage: d.. !,
am unable to come to the conclusion
that the bill would help agriculture,
be of benefit to the country, and be In
accordance with the Constitution.
"Otner plans have been proposed in
Congress for advancement in this re-
covery, which plans offer promise of
sound assistance to the farmers with
out these unconstitutionalities. inva.
sions Of executive authority, this con-
tracing with packers and -four millers
and other manufacturers, this over
production with it's imitation and In.
evitable crash. without this indirect
price fixing buying and selling, this
creation of huge bureaucracies. They
are on the contrary devoted entirely
TO the principle of building up farm
controlled marketing concerns to
handle their problems, including occa-
sional surplus production, and ap-
plicable to all agriculture and not to a
minor fraction. ! have frequently
urged such legislation. l wish again
to renew my recommendation that
some such plan be adopted
The so-called Curtis-Crisp bill at the
present session of Congress and the
Fess-Tincher bill at the last session
are believed to have fitted in with the
Presidents views. But those measures
failed.
Campaign to Continue.
The farm organizations backing the
McNary- Haugen bill, it is expected,
will continue their campaign. In
many quarters ii is expected that the
veto of the farm bill by the President
will be a point Of political attack
against the administration. Already
there have been limitations that 9th.
er Republicans OF prominence who IA
vor the principle of the McNary Hau.
gen bill would undertake to win tn
Republican nomination for President
next year.
From a political point of view, how.
ever, the Presidents veto of the mes
sage may in the end gain him more
strength than il will lose him in view
of the strong opposition to the bill in
many of the large industrial States.
From Economic Viewpoint.
Tackling the bill first from the
economic point of view the President
said:
''It is automatic that progress is
made through building on good foun
dations that already exist. For many
vears-indeed, from before the day of
modern agricultural -science-balance
and diversified farming has been re-
garded by thoughtful farmers and
Chemists as a safeguad Of our agri-
culture. The bill under consideration
throws this aside as of no conse-
quence."
,iiscrininates definitely against prod
Icts which make up what has beer
universally considered a program Of
safe farming.
In the opinion Of the President. the
hill would give special favors TO farm
e,s who grow cotton, corn, rice
swine, tobacco and wheat. as against
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