Evening star., 1928-05-29
Both Sides Speak Vigorously
In Comment on Farm Bill Veto

Plain speaking which marked the
veto message TO Congress IN which
President Coolidge expressed his disap-
proval OF the McNary- -Haugen farm re-
lief bill Is matched by the comments
from the press on both sides of the
question. Those who saw economic
dangers in the bill commend the cour-
age OF the President. Supporters Of the
measure unqualifiedly assert that there
is expert testimony TO It's SoundneSs and
merits or insist that the President could
as logically apply his criticisms TO the
accepted tariff policy or the recently
approved shipping measure.
The message is mastery paper OF
state It Is temperate. but as firm as
Gibraltar" in the opinion OF the st.
Louis Times (Republican1. while the
Atlanta Constitution (Democratic) de-
scribes it as refreshing" and evidence
of "the Presidents personal courage. -
The Louisville Courier-Journal finde-
pendent) calls 1t "by far the most no
table Of his state papers" the Buffalo
Evening News Republican, lauds MS
courageous and statesmanlike course
and other tributes TO the President
courage are paid by the Oakland Trio-
une independent Republican,, Flint
Daily journal independently, Akron
Beacon Journal fRepublican), Indian
apolis Star independent Republican,
and Newark Evening News (independ-
ent).
when these words have sunk into
the consciousness Of the farmers Amer
ican good sense may be expected TO ap-
prove the judgment and applaud the
courage of Mr.. Coolidge" predicts the
New York Sun independently. while the
Philadelphia Record independent Dem
ocratic) feels that the President "can
have the consciousness that he has
done his full duty, and no man can 90
more than that" and the Bangor COM
mercial lauds "a meritorious service fcr
the Nation" The New YORK Times
independently states: 1t is his sworn
duty to refuse to assent TO bill wnlcn
he believes to be in violation OF the Or
ganic law or harmful to the country.
Nr Coolidge has merely been faithful
to his trust"
'sThe whole message is series OF ad-
ditionaI reasons for regrettlng President
Coolidge does not choose TO run TINS
wear" declares the San Francisco Bull
letin lRepublican). and the Seattle
Times independent Republican, offers
the Judgment, He performed his duty
as he sees it, and experience has shown
that usually he has been right.
Among the leaders In support OF
the farm bill. the Des AIoines Register
independent Republican,, says: john
Dom said, When man becomes In
tractable and inaccessible by tierceness
and pride, then ~yftuperatlon comes
upon him Here is a collection OF the
vituperative expressions which Presi-
dent Coolidge applies to the MeNary-
Haugen bill: futile. bureaucratic, para
phernalia, vicious devices, fantastic,
fallacious, dangerous, cruelty deceptive
deIusive experiments. intolerable es-
pionage, fragrant, coercive, bureaucratic
tyranny, bureaucracy gone mad, OBJ
noxious, autocratic, profoundly repug-
nant, bewildering snarl. vaguely drawn,
insidious attack, prepoSterous fallacy,
futile sophistries."
X 4 y X
until President Coolidge realizes the
Justice of the demand and the motives
that inspire 1t, there is little hope OF
his having an adequate understanding
Of the farm problem" AYERS the Hous-
ton Chronicle (Democratic). The Tulsa
World independently suggests that
perhaps his indifference TO rural senti-
ment may have lent acid 10 the presi-
Dental pen when he wrote the veto.
THE veto" according 10 the st. Paul
Pioneer Press independently, lis a
bitter disappointment OF American
agriculture's hope of at least gaining
a place Of equality in the national eco
nomic scheme. Almost every argument
running against the economic sound
ness OF the measure appearing In the
veto message could with equal force be
fta 1rSFF cfF Tfa
ternalistic laws now benefiting other
classes of producers Yet the tariff
continues, while the farmer does not
get that equal and effective protection
to which he has a right"
THE gravy Of special privilege and
special favor" remarks the Omaha
World-Herald independently. "is re-
served exclusively for the fattening Of
Eastern industrialiSm. The fas to pro-
duce it Is fried out of the Middle West.
When our fat is all gone the marrow
from our bones will be demanded next :"
The Chicago Tribune Republican, also
suggests, 1T may not have bcen alto
gether fortunate that the President, In
celebrating upon the economic fallacies
OF the bill, used language which free
trader might have applied to the tariff
with hardly any change Of word or
phrase"
"In President Coolidge. 1t is not his
opposition TO the McNary- -Haugen bill
per sc which puts him In the wrong"
declares the Dayton Daily News tin
dependent Democraticl, but his cynical
insistence that principles which are
holy when they put money in the
pocket of one class become vicious when
invoked for the benefit of another.
This makes him President not of
Nation. but OF a favored class within
the Nation" The parallel of tariff and
industry Is emphasized also by the
Savannah Press tDemocratie), New
York World independently, Raleigh
News and Observer (Democratie). Bir-
mingham News CDemocraticl and Den
yer Rocky Mountain News (independ-
ent).
"Strnngest anomaly of ALL" AYERS
the Morgantown New Dominion tinde-
pendent Democraticl, president Cool
the McNary- -Haugen bill attached his
signature 10 the Jones-White bill setting
up 250-miliion- dollar subsidy for the
shipping interests. The chief
difference. In principle, was that the
400 million dollars was To be advanced
to farmers who live out West and down
South, while the 2S0 million dollars Is
10 be lent to shtpbuilders who live up
East" The Schenectady Gazette (ln~
dependent Democrattc), asserts, "Argu~
ments In favor of one apply with equal
force To the otheF~-and SO do arguments
against each And both are ON q par
with the inexcusably high tariff rates"
Not one farmer in ilfty can keep
books as they are kept In the industries
and come out with the showing Of .