Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-16
FARM BILL TO co
TO OCONFEREES, SAY
LEADERS IN HOUSE
Agreement Reached to Speed
Action, but Lower Body
Will Demand Rights.

The farm relief bill win be sent to
conference by the House, it was deter
mined today in the Office of Speaker
Longworth.
The House leaders determined not to
raise the issue against the debenture
amendment inserted by the Senate,
running to the constitutionality of that
action by the Senate.
The course adopted by the House
leaders Is designed to bring about as
speedy action as possible on the farm
bill. It was realized that should the
House send back to the Senate the farm
bill, declining to receive it on the gounds
constitutional authority, endless debate
In the Senate would have followed.
VIII Stand on Rights.
The House, however, intends to call
attention to the fact that this conStitu-
tional question exists and that the re-
f1ection of the bill, including the de-
benture clause, must not be considered
a precedent.
A special rule providing for sending
the farm bill to conference will be
drafted by the rules committee and in
troduced later in the House today, it
was said by Majority Leader TilSon.
Representative Smell, chairman of the
rules committee, attended the confer
ence today. The special rule will say
specifically that the insertion of the
debenture plan by the Senate has raised
a question of the right of the Senate to
initiate revenue legislation.
It will not attempt to settle the
question and it is said there will be no
language used that could offend the
Senate. The rule will provide for send
ing the bill to conference without any
instructions. This means that the
conferees will be left free to meet the
conferees of the Senate and the bill
with the debenture plan and other Sen
ate amendments as they see fit.
House leaders believe that the adop-
ton of this course will expediate the final
action on the farm bill. They expect
the House conferees finally to prevail
in their opposition to the debenture
plan.
Public Demands Action.
1t is likely, however, that before an
agreement is reached in conference
| the vote of the House declaring against
the debenture plan will be necessary.
| Various estimates were given today as
| to the length of time the farm bill
would be in conference, ranging all
| the way from one week to three weeks.
Not little will depend upon the de-
mand of the country for prompt &C
ton on the farm bill. Already it was
| learned today members of the Senate
are receiving many letters from their
constituents urging that the two
| Houses settle their differences over the
farm bill as speedily as possible and
permit the bill to become a law.
The Senate amended the farm bill
in number of other respects besides
adding the debenture clause. 1t In
creased the size of the proposed Fedora
Farm Board from to IL and specified
that the chairman of the board shall
receive a fixed salary, instead Of leav'
ing salary of the chairman to be deter
mined by the President. 1t is expected
that the conferees will be able to 1ror
out these differences without a grea
deal of trouble. The real fight in con
ference will come over the debentur'
plan, which seems to be the only STUN
bling block to early action on the bill
Anticipating the adoption OF th'
course taken today, Speaker Longwortf
has disclosed plans for recess OF sn
weeks or two months by the House afteI
! it completes its work on the pending
! tariff bill and the farm relief measure
Senator Watson of Indiana, Republican
, leader, looking in the same direction
; said the Senate probably would take
recess of 80 days or Whereabouts afte
receiving the tariff bill and referring /
to the finance committee for hearing
and revision.