Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-04
HOOVER VIEWS SEEN.
Hyde Regarded as Expressing Desires
Of President.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Of President.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Farm legislation has been defined by
the Hoover administration as embrace
ing broad discretionary powers to Fed
eral agencies TO deal with each COM
modify as may be dictated by expert
ence.
Although President Hoover has not
expressed his views. the Capital is con-
WINGED today that the testimony Of the
new Secretary Of Agriculture, Arthur
M. Hyde, reflects absolutely the view
point of the administration.
What Mr.. Hoveor wants Is Federal
Farm Board clothed with broad and
general authority" and an appropria-
tion of approximately $500, 600, 900 to be
used as revolving fund. This is in
a sense revival of the principles sue
cessfully applied by the War Finance
Corporation under Eugene Meyer and
later In the Presidents cotton commit
tee. In other words, the essentials OF
this plan have actually been worked out
in emergencies heretofore. 1t Is simply
a method of stabilizing the situation In
and frequently means the use Of Gov
eminent machinery only to bridge q
gap.
Secretary Hyde made 1t clear that
he was speaking for himself alone, but
it Is known, on the other hand. that
his conference with President Hoover
In the last few days would not have
permitted him to express a view
divergent from that Of the Chief Execu-
tive.
Hoover Keeps Open Mind.
Mr.. Hoover has preferred that the
congressional committee develop Its
own plan and he still feels that Mr..
Hyde's ideas should be viewed as sug.
gsstions. The President wishes to keep
an open mind so that II anyone in
Congress can develop q better idea or
q more workable plan, he can accept
1t. Also, inasmuch as the Hoover
theory Of dealing with the question in
wolves the grant Of large powers to q
Federal board, the President Is not
anxious to appear In the role Of asking
greater authority for the executive
branch Of the Government.
Mr.. Hoover Is q believer In the idea
Of voluntary cooperation and IL Ia
assumed here that II the Federal Farm
Board has broad discretionary powers
given to 1t, the solution Of each partic-
ular problem will be tackled on its
merits and policies developed by ex-
Fermentation. The whole agricultural
surplus question Is so closely inter.
woven with administrative tasks and
depends so much on personnel that the
Chief Executive Is believed to desire
legislation that will enable him to pick
outstanding men who understand
agriculture and who can develop .
formula for the sterilization of crou
prices by consultation with the various
units In the farm world.
The dificulty heretofore has been
that no method of compulsory co:
operation has been evolved and the
virtue OF the McNary- Haugen bill, from
the point Of view Of Its sponsors, was
that the equalization fee would brine
all elements together under a common
jurisdiction. II the same object can be
accomplished by the co-ordinating in-
fiuence Of q Federal Farm Board. the
administration would rather see tina,
done than to have Congress pass legis-
lation so rigid as to prevent dexibility
Of action.
Spirit Is Changed.
There Is an entirely different spirit In
the agricultural committees today thar
during the last season. The DISPOSE
ton prevails to follow Mr.. Hoover.
leadership and to give him an oppor.
tunity TO work out the farm problem
Feeling as he does that legislation itseli
can not cure the Ills Of the farmer, bui
that he needs the co-ordinating infiu,
ence and financial help of the Fedora
Government the President would try Il
utilize the Farm Board Is the mechan.
ism through which solution might b:
| worked out.
Then II additional legislation Il
needed it could be sought from Con.
gress with . record Of experience ans
proof Of It's necessity.
Copyright. 1921