The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-01-22
M'NARY- -HAUCEN BILL OBJECTIONABLE
and UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACCORDING TO
MINORITY REPORT FILED in THE HOUSE
Three Members Of House Ag-
riculture Committee Seek
Enactment of Curtis Crisp
Bill-lmp0rtant Difference
Concerns Equalization Fee
Principle

Washington, Jan. 22.--LN-Describ-
ing the ntlv McNary- -Haugcn bill as
more Objectionable and certainly
more unconstitutional" than its pre-
decessor Of last spring, a minority
report signed by three members of
the house agriculture committee was
filed with the house today seeking
instead the enactment of the Curtis
Crisp bill. The latter measure was
held up as "a constitutional and CO..
structivc measure upon the only
lines which our long examination Of
this question leads US to believe can
prove successful
The report was written by Repre-.
sentative Fort, Republican, New Jer.
sey. Representatives Tincher. Re.
publican, Kansas, and Pratt, Republi.
can, New York, added their sigma
lures.
The two measures in controversy
are unlike in several respects but ths
most important of these is the equal
ization fee by which the McNary
Haugen bill would control crop sur
pluses. The Curtis-C Crisp plan omit.
this feature.
Called Price Fixing Measure
In addition to declaring the fee t
be tax and unconstitutional, tn
minority report said the bill contain
ing it was u price fixing measure
that it would upset all existing trad
channels, kill cooperative marketin
organizations and increase productio
F., if it actually succeeded in increasin
prices.
! The method of selecting the fedei
| al board to administer the McNary
Haugcn plan also was assailed as ur
constitutional because it tended
interfere with the presidents conSt
tutional right to appoint governmer
officials without advice except frol
the senate.
The equalization fee was describe
as clearly tax" no different fro
that levied by municipalities to pr,
vide money for sinking funds.
"As to cotton" the minority decia
. ed, I'VE are inclined to believe tt
fee as tax is constitutional since
reaches the entire production ar
every producer. AS to wheat, cor
and rice. however, the bill has bet
carefully drawn both to exclude al
interest of the producer in any ba
ance in the equalization fund and
eliminate the possibility Of the (
being levied against processing
the producer or against sales fro
! one farmer to another.
Constitutional Means Preferred
"Cerainly," the report said, "wh
: clearly constitutional means can
found for the handling Of the pro
lem, ordinary common sense wou
Y dictate a preference for their use.
These means were held to be el
bodied in the Curtis.Crisp measu
and while this bill, too, calls up
the treasury for q large apprppri
tion, the protesting members belle
that under such q bill "losses to t
government will not, over peril
exceed its interest profits"
1--WE know" they said, "that su
a bill does not put. the government
business; does not subsidize
farmer who wants no subsidy; a
does not fly counter to all econon
history"
Pointing out that the Curtis Cri
bills primary purpose Is ito aid
industry of agriculture or organ
effectively" the report said:
I'VE believe it will accomplish
purpose and that, through that
complishment, it will lift agricultl
to its rightful place in the scale
/. industries-not only in its financ
al rewards but as the equal OF any
fore the law and first in indepel
ence."