The Bismarck tribune., 1928-11-22
FARM EQUALITY
OBSTACLE SEEN
BY AID LEADERS
Proponents Disagree as to
Time for Renewing Fight
for Legislation
McNARY HAS NEW BILL
American Farm Bureau Rep
resentalive Urges Bills Be
Held for Special Term

Washington, Nov. 20.-(R-Fac-
ing a multiplicity of difficulties car
ried over from two presidential
vetces, farm relief has another OBJ
stacle to hurdle as congress ap-
proaches. Its proponents are dis
agreed as to the proper time for re-
newing the battle.
The short session begins Deem
Der 1, and Senator McNary, CO.
author of the twice defeated Nc
Nary-Haugen bill, is eager to initiate
The first day with pronouncement of
q new plan, broadly along the lines
Of his old bill but eliminating the
equalization fee. Senator Borah, ad-
mttedly close to the incoming ad-
ministration, insists the farm ques-
ton should be carried over to the
special session promised by Mr..
Hoover.
Gray Voices Opinion
Washington representatives of
various farm groups are lining up
with the opposing views. Chester
Gray of the American Farm Bureau
federation is Of the opinion congress
has too much to do at the short ses-
sion to consider farm relief prop
erly. He believes it should be held
for special session, to start in
April or May and, if necessary, con-
tinue until Inauguration of the sew
entyfirst congress in December,
1929.
The Grange, however, while await
ing expression of its legislative COM
mittee strongly favors all possible
speed. Louis J. Tabor. national mas
ter, explains that the Grange does
not favor hasty, slip-shod legisla-
tion, and that, while he personally
believes more is to be gained by a
special session, he welcomes the first
opportunity to start constructive
program.
Gray, who threw the whole
strength of his organization behind
the controverted equalization fee
until it became apparent congress
never could enact it, is the most out
spoken in agricultural circles as the
new obstacle arises. He has not
changed his position that farm relief
and the removal of crop surplus are
analogous, and that the commodity
served should pay for the removal of
its own surplus.
Caution Is Urged
He sees in an attempt to rush
remedial legislation through the
short session tendency to set up the
McNary- Haugen machinery with the
government shouldcring the cost Of
operation. Such plsn h. ,,~-'-,-
will be fought to the end by farmers
who deprecate the ln1lu-.lve "a u
subsidy on agricultural economies.
Gray sums up his advocacy of an
extra session with the statement
that the farm question is big enough
and acute enough to demand the un-
divided attention of congress. He
sees tariff schedules interviewer with
farm relief, phase that in itself
would require more than the three
months of the short session to per-
feet. Since the returning congress
is committed to solution of the Boul-
der dam problem, the supply bill, de-
ficiency appropriations and other
measures, Gray says the farmers
would much rather have congress
leave the agricultural ills for a spe-
cial session.
Borah B;:l Expected
Senator Borah, who some com.
mentators believe will introduce a
farm relief bill of his own, advocates
revision of agricultural schedules
as part of general tariff reform, a
task which he considers too big for
the short session.
Despite the evident willingness of
some farm leaders to let the short
session pass and take up farm relief
when congress can devote more time
to it, Senator McNary, as chairman
of the senate committee on agricul-
ture, believes it possible to pass a
measure acceptable to President
Coolidge within a week. He holds
that ample hearings have been con.
Quoted, and that the question is one
of finance rather than the method ot
operation. At least, he believes, the
short session could put machinery
in motion to handle the next harvest
whereas if left to a special session
it might be year or more before
legislation would be of practical aid