Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-28
Will Smith Accept the Fee ?

Gov. Smith, speaking in st. Paul to
the farmers of the Northwest. last night
reiterated his faith in the principle
Of the McNary-H augen farm aid bill,
which would assess the cost of distrib-
uting surplus crops against the pro-
ducers of these crops. He mentioned
the equalization fee" method of car
rying this principle into practice, but
without pledging himself to that meth
cd. The implication of his remarks
on the farm problem is that he Is
seeking for a better method than the
equalization fee. And apparently he
is still seeking. There was no concrete
suggestion that he or any one else has
found another method than the fee
plan. Whatever the farmers think or
know of the equalization fee and
there is much confusion in regard to
what they do think and know of this
plan-there is not the slightest doubt
that many of the business men OF the
country regard the plan as unavoidable
and unconstitutional. The votes and
the support of the business elements in
this country are no slight matter.
Gov. Smith in his speeches has not
vet said whether he would or would
not accept a bill from Congress which
contained the equalization fee method
of carrying into effect the principle of
the McNary- Haugen bill, principle
for which he has declared. He took
much comfort last night from the
comment Of Senator Norris Of Nebraska,
progressive Republican, on his Omaha
farm speech. The governor quoted
Senator Norris at some length, and
then said himself: HE (Senator Nor
ris) sees and understands that the
equalization fee is but one method to
make effective the principle (of the
McNary-H augen bilD."
Gov. Smith insists that he is per-
fectly willing to discuss any public
question and to give his stand on 1t.
He could easily say whether or no he
would accept the equalization fee, IN
one of his formal speeches to the
country. But so far he has said only
that he is seeking for better method.
Suppose no better method is to be
found by Gov. Smith and his advisers.
What then? Will he accept the equali-
zation fee, or let the principle" of
the McNary- Haugen bill rest in peace?
The New York World has asserted
that 1t has no doubt that Gov.
Smith will accept the fee plan
If it comes to him in bill from Con-
gress. It has gone so far as to say
that it will stand aside and make no
attempt to block this legislation, al
though It does not believe in the fee
plan. Surely the World could go no
further in its efforts to win votes for
Gov. Smith.
But Gov. Smith and his advisers
complain that his critics are wide Of
the point in discussing his attitude on
the farm problem. He insists upon diff
Terminating between the principle of
the McNary- Haugen bill and the equal
ization fee machinery for carrying the
principle into effect. It was the fee
plan which led the President to declare
the bill unavoidable and unconstitution-
al. Is Gov. Smith going to accept the
equalization fee or Is he not? The
World says he is. He certainly can
speak for himself.
Gov. Smith attacks the Republican
administration repeatedly because it has
failed to put through farm aid bill.
The fact of the matter, as pointed out
by Senator Curtis, is that many bills
looking to farm aid have been put
through Congress under Republican
guidance. It is also fact that a bill
creating a Federal farm board, with
revolving fund to use in the handling
of surplus crops, could have passed
Congress and won the approval of the
President had it not been for the per-
sistent opposition of those who be-
lieved that the farm issue should be
kept alive for political reasons, and
that includes both republicans and
Democrats.