Evening star., 1928-11-17
The Presidents Farm Talk,

President Coolidye's address to the
National Grange summarizes with re-
markable clarity the steps taken by
the United States Government to aid
agriculture. It dispels any idea that
the Government has stood by with
folded hands while tbs farmer has
struggled for living from the soil. It
tells of legislation and the establishment
of agencies in aid of agriculture during
the last eight years which have helped
the farmers greatly in that period.
The President freely admits that
there is still room for legislative aid to
the farmer. But he stands as firmly
today against attempts by ths Govern
lnent to fix prices of farm products and
against Government subsidies to the
farmers as he has ever stood. Had it
not been for this attitude of the Presi-
dent the McNary- -Haugen farm bill
would have been on the statute books
today, with its equalization fee principle
and its cumbersome machinery. Twice
the President vetoed this measure. II
the Congress, the same Congress which
passed the McNary-H -Haugen bill last
Spring and sent it to him for his ap-
proval, should at its coming session
undertake to pass the same measure
again, the President would be as ready
rs ever with his veto.
If the recent presidential campaign
and election mean anything, they mean
that the equalization fee principle is
to be discarded in further legislation
for the farmer. The Republican ma
tional convention in Kansas City turned
its back fatty against the farm plank
calling for such plan. 1t nominated
o man for President who was known
TO be hostile to that plan of farm aid,
And finally the country elected the Re-
publican nominee to be President. and
not a farm State of the West or Middle
West went against him. Indeed, he
won by a surprisingly large vote in some
of these States. where the attempt was
made particularly to arouse hostility
against Mr. Hoover on the theory that
he was opposed to the farmers in
terests.
The President-elect p on1ised in the
closing weeks of the campaign to call
special session Of Congress next Spring
If legislation for the farmer was not
put through at the coming short session
of the present Congress. This pract1-
cally assures the passage Of farm
bill within the next six or eight months.
It merely remains to be determined
whether the present Congress will per-
NIT a farm bill such as that promised
by Mr.. Hoover to go through in the
limited time before March 4. Some of
the members of Congress are anxious
to bring about farm legislation at the
earliest possible date for the sake OF
the farmer. Others, more selfish, per-
haps, are anxious to avoid special
session of Congress if they can. Both
these factors will operate to speed the
proposed farm bill.
4ACAC 10 A1A SOAA1C 1NGA VILE S~@~ @N~~
that a more liberal farm bill could be
passed with the approval of MFR. Hoover
than could be passed with the approval
of President Coolidge. This may be
entirely erroneous. Yet it may have
its effect on the action of Congress on
proposed farm legislation in the spe-
cial session. 1t is quite clear, however.
that no bill which does not have the
approval of both President Coolidge and
the President-elect can be put through
now.
Friends of the farmer are hopeful
that at last the Congress will tackle
the agricultural problem and deal with
1t. Farm aid has been the vehicle OF
politics for years. The country has
named the administration for the next
four years Perhaps the farmer may
receive some beneficial legislation be-
fore the politicians can get their second
wind and create another mystery about
the whole affair.