Evening star., 1928-02-18

The Senate committee on agriculture,
Of which Senator McNary is chairman.
has unanimously reported out for pas
sage the revised NcNary-Haugen bill
for relief Of agriculture. The House
committee on agriculture. Of which Mr..
Haugen is chairman. has been holding
hearings on the measure and IS getting
ready TO report the bill for passage By
the House: it may be 50 reported out
Of committee within the next three or
four days The revised bill undertakes
70 dodge most OF the pitfalls which in
duced President Coolidge 70 veto II last
year. II does not eliminate. however,
the particular stumbling block against
which the President found most oojec-
ticn-the requirement from al pro-
ducers OF a certain commodity Of the
payment of q tax" or service fee.
technically called, in the language OF the
bill. its equalization fee" which the
President and Attorney General have
held 10 be unconstitutional.
Sentiment regarding the measure Is
sharply divided. The supporters OF the
bill declare that il Is necessary that the
Government shall come 70 the relief OF
agriculture, owing 10 the impcSSlbiNty
"a SAtAA 0SAAAe o~AAANNN4 49, NN-"S
other way: even the many cooperative
farm associations are too small 70 con-
troll prices. and unless prices OF the
staple farm products can Be stabilized
and maintained on a profitable level.
they argue, agriculture IS doomed 20
ruin.
The proposal Is made. therefore. that
the Federal Government shall set UP
board Of II men. one from each district
Of the present Farm Land Banks. and
supply them with $+o0. .o00. 900 working
capital. This board will be named by
the President. by and with the sdyice
Of the Senate. according 70 the require
naents O: the Constitution In the bill
last session il was provided that the
President was to be limited II his Sc
lection OF members Of the board 20 a
list TO be prepared and submitted by
the Agricultural Associations repre-
sen.a,ives OF the particular products
Ths: limitation OH the freedom of the
President IS TOW agreed hy all parties
70 b. unconstitutional and Is abandoned
ANY President in making such selections
will naturally consult the outstanding
Interests which the nominees are 20
represent.
In addition 10 the permanent ooard.
having power 10 control the surplus
crops, there will be u council consisting
OF : representative aSricU.surlSiS from
each Farm Land Bank district. making
q council OF "a farmers or StocSrsiSerS,
who will meet when called together b.
the chairman Of the hoard or the S<Nr-
rsiary of Agriculture 10 advise the
board
These councillors will no. represent
particular commodities taS VAS the idea
provided for III the last billy, hut VIII
be selected geographically. There Is
much division ci sentiment as 20 thai
feature. One argument against the Sc
lection on q commodity basis Is tha, ssIe
measure IS not intended merely - ad-
vance the selfish interests u. the par
ticuiar producers of n Certain crop, but
the welfare of CONSUMES ard the ix>,-
pie generally is to be $afeSuayde5. For
example. cotton raiSerS know little asea;
wheat. but they do know that II wAea,
prices are boosted unrea>caah,y. rAey.
rs conSu.merS. Will suffer, So i IS claimed
that the geographical basis Of SelcesiV
Will make for broader benefits.
-
The cruN os the whole undertaking
lies III the plan for controlling SURPRISES
beyond what the home masAe; ct rx,u-
tineNtal United States requires. "
wheat, corn. rice. tobacco and swine.
as designated III last years bill IL this
revised bill, made ~ nies: the oelec-
tionS Of the President that that narrcw
list was sgnoring more farmers ghan II
Relieved the measure TOW reads:
III Is hereby declared ~ he the
policy " Congress to promote the Or
derry marketing ot agricultural com~
isoG'tieS iii Interstate and foreign
commerce, and IL thar end. through
the executions ~ the provisions cg
titiS act, IL provide for the c>Hasrsl and
" SURPRISES NJ S,seA c<>s,,-
n'odisieS, io pgc$egVr ADVANTAGEOUS d.
'aeStie markets for sGch commodities, &,
prevent such SURPRISES fgtao lsnsiuN de-
the pT,CvS obtained fer St,Sls
'Snirhoditle$, u mInis,lse speculation and
waste III the marketing cf SslSh e<sn-
n,ceiities. and to nlgthes the ctNaossa-
tion OF pr>N0ucSrS ~ Surh commodities
into cooperative aSS.Ntiatsoiss."
-
While the preamble ae,ye os,ese<a
speaks In general cs .fa-m sSasaaseas-
ties" IL Is obvious that thar can Amply
anly 10 mperisnac,e e<,asyssoSsisses~-aS
10 fruits, esss dairy prSSiaess, ete
1t Is pNnvided that the e<ssya shah
estimate III advance II the marketing
period what the Igcper price elsht se
ee IN the home market and What Is
The prospective surplas crop above do ,
nestle neesis~~the surplus which must
story e4 each peak Is told, ,.s naming |