Evening star., 1928-12-23
Coolidge Backs Farm Bill.

President Coolidge, through his Secre-
tary Of Agriculture, has aligned himself
sauarely in favor of the pending
AfcNary farm aid bill Mr. Jardine's
letter to the chairman of the Senate
0Cnamittee on agriculture. indorsing the
III, was no half-hearted affair. The
administration is clearly willing to go
the limit for this legislation. 1t is quite
true that the President would have been
willing to sign such a bill had it been
passed by Congress long ago. 1t is in
hne with the recommendations which
President Coolidge has embodied in his
message to Congress several times. But
1t also happens that this is the first
time that such legislation had chance
to pass In the past there has been
much difference of opinion as to what
the farmers of the country really
wanted. But the farmers themselves
spoke forcibly in the recent election,
which has effectually settled the matter.
The administration has battled long
against the price-fixing plan of the old
McNary- -Haugen bill, which the Presi-
dent held to be unworkable, unfair to
many Of the farmers and to have the
effect OF putting the Government into
the farm business. Twice such a bill
might have become law had not the
President stood firm against it and
returned the measure to Congress with
out his approval. It is not unreasonable
for the President to desire to see during
his own administration this farm prob
lem settled, at least to the extent of the
; establishment Of basic plan for gov
ernmental assistance to the great in
dustry which after all is the greatest in
the country.
The battle in the Senate and House
from this point to the close Of the
present session of Congress on March 4
will be between the forces who wish to
put through the farm bill now and to
avoid special session Of the new
Congress and those who wish such
session called soon after Mr.. Hoover
takes ofi1ce as President Some of the
Western Senators and Representatives
would like to have the farm bill dealt
with in q special session of Congress,
believing that session called par
ticularly for that purpose would give
more adequate time for consideration
of this important measure They have
as allies IN their demand for special
session Of Congress those Senators and
Representatives from industrial States
who wish prompt revision Of the
tariff schedules to give better protection
to textile and other industries.
When Congress reassembles January
after the Christmas recess, only two
months will remain of the present
session. In that time the great bulk
Of the annual appropriation bills must
be passed If special session is to be
avoided. The Kellogg treaty renounc-
ing war and the bill for the construc-
ton Of fifteen new cruisers for the Navy
have been made the unfinished business
OF the Senate, and both of them are
likely to lead to much debate. There is
the proposal that bill for the reap
portionment of the House be put
through, and that. too, has strong sup
port as well as strong opposition.
Whether a farm bill, which is bound to
lead to controversy and even IN onnoci.
ton of a political nature, can be
sandwiched in and put through is a
debatable question, even with the
powerful backing of the administration
supported by the returns of the recent
election.