New Britain herald., 1928-05-23
coolidge VE70ES
farm RELIEF BILL


annual message, with which many
of the provisions of this bill are in
ha rmony, may be ena cted.'
Mr.. Coolidge wrote a 1o-page
printed pamphlet outlining his OBJ
jections to the bill and included with
it another pamphlet of equal size
giving the views of Attorney General
Sargent on the legal phases OF the
measure.
His Objections
The objections OF the president
were summarized by his under these
SIN headings:
First, its attempted price fixing
policy.
second. the tax characteristics OF
the equalization fee.
Third. the widespread bureau
cracy which it would set UP.
Fourth, its encouragement to
protiteering and wasteful distrlbu-
ton by middlemen.
Fifth, its stimulation Of over pro-
duction.
Sixth, its aid to our foreign agri-
cultural competitors,
In addition. he declared that
these topics by no means exhaust
the list OF fallaeious and, indeed,
dangerous aspects OF the bill, but
they afford ample grounds for its
emphatic rejection
In conclusion" Mr.. Coolidge de-
clared. IF the measure is enacted
one would be led TO wonder how
long it would be before producers
in other lines would clamor for
similar 'equalizing' subsidies from
the public Golfers, The Hobbies OF
congress would be filled with ennis
saries from every momentarily dis
tressed industry demanding relief OF
a burdensome surplus at the OK
pense Of the treasury. Once We
plunge into the futile sophistries Of
such a system OF wholesale CONNER
cial doles for special groups of mid
dlemen and distributors at the ex-
pense of farmers and other pro-
ducers it is difficult to see what the
end might be-"
II have believed at all times that
the only sound basis for further fed
eral government action In behalf OF
agriculture would be to encourage
its adequate organization to assist in
building UP marketing agencies and
facilities in the control Of the farm
ers themselves. ! want to see them
undertake. under their own manage
ment, the marketing of their pro-
ducts under such conditions as will
enable them to bring about greater
stability in prices and less waste in
marketing, but entirely within I'M
alterabls economic laws.
Such 4 program supported by a
strong protected tariff on farm pro-
ducts, ID the best method Of effect
ing a permanent cure OF existing
agricultural ills. Such program is
in accordance with the American
tradition and the American idea OF
reliance on the maintenance Of pri-
vate initiative and individual respon-
sibility and the duty of the govern
ment is discharged when 1t has pro-
,iduals can achieve success.
II am still hopeful that legislation
along the lines suggested in my last
annual message. with which many
of the provisions of this bill are in
harmony. may be enacted. but this
hill embodiea substantially all Of the
Objectionable features. which l said
in that message to the congress, I
could not endorse"
The president criticised the hoard
which the bill sought to establish.
saying that no hoard would be able
10 resist the pressure of the polltica
forces which could be mustered in
behalf Of every staple commodity to
demand that the government should
undertake the responsibility of at
tempting to legislate its prices above
| those fixed in the normal operations
OF The Law of supply and demand
Styling the measure az cruelty
deceptive in its attempt to disguise
a. governmental price fixing legisla
ton. the president said the bill is
much broader and more fragrant in
its scope" than all other political
surplus control bills.
The heights to which price lift.
ing might he promised are freed
| from the limitation fixed in previous
measures" he said The bill care
/ fully avoids any direct allusion &c
such price fixing functions, but ther.
can be no doubt about tis intentions
and authorization to the federal
/ farm board in this respect.
There is apparently no chang.
/ in the import Of the bill in the reso.
/ luton to impose upon the farmer
and upon the consumers OF farm
produce a regime Of futile. delusivt
experiments with price fixing witt
indirect governmental buying ant
selling. and with a nationwide sys
I tom OF regulatory policing. intoler
able espionage. and tax collection OF
a vast scale.
These provisions would disap
point the farmer by nalNely mplylni
that the law Of supply and demand
can thus be legislatively distorted il
his favor. Economic history is fill
Cd with the evidences OF the ghas tl.
futility of such attempts. Fiat price
match the folly of fiat money"
Two Different Remedies
The McNary- Haugen bill as sen
70 the White House by congress ha
been described by its supporters a
presenting two distinct and entirel
separable rcmedics' for farm relief
The first Of the proposals for tn
Sterilization and control of surplu
agricultural crops would be b
means of loans to co-operatives a
low rates OF interest, while the sec
ond. in the event the first Shout
fail. would be used for the equallza
ton fee machinery.
81 Provisions OF Bill
The bin has 81 sections with tn