Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-03
FARM AID MEASURE
CALLED ''MOCKERY'
Senator Wagner ASsaiIS Bill
in Offering Substitute to
Stabilize Commodities.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Substitution of a single powerful
Government operated corporation for
the commodity sterilization agencies
provided for in the farm relief bill was
proposed yesterday by Senator Wagner.
Democrat, of New York, as a means of
controlling surplus crops
Describing the bill in its present form
as a "nockery" and a dressed Up
scheme" to satisfy campaign slogans,
he claimed an interest in farm legis-
lation as a representative of State
which produces crops valued at $780,
000,G00 year and is the largest con-
Stunning and taxpaying commonwealth
in the country.
II sterilization is the intention Of the
administration, he argued, it should be
frankly faced with a direct plan of
execution and not through complex
machinery and red tape.
Holds Debenture Plan Unworkable.
He commended the debenture plan was
not workable and that the Norris
amendment providing for reduction OF
rates whenever overproduction is
threatened in an affected crop did not
improve it.
Asserting that many farm leaders
themselves admit that the farmers will
not Join co-operatives, he declared the
whole farm relief plan embodied in the
pending bill is bound to fail because 1t
intends to set up sterilization corpora
lions upon the cooperative structure.
Now, if we are going to pay for
stabilization," he said, 'let us see that
we secure effective Sterilization, not
mockery.
With that object in view, the major
change proposed in my amendment is
| the elimination of all the commodity
sterilization corporations and the crea-
ton in lieu thereof Of one single pow
erful corporation to engage in all OF
the surplus control operations that the
bill contemplateS. It's capital of about
$3.50 900, 900 will be contributed and
owned by the Government. Its board of
directors will be the members of the
farm board.
Instead of wondering whether any
sterilization machinery will be built
/ and utilized, we shall know. We shall
erect it. We shall start its operation
! and We shall direct its operations.
Promises Aid to All.
Instead of having one commodity
protected while another is unprotected
because it has not yet succeeded in or
ganizing itself, we shall have all farm
ers and all commodities start stimuli
taneously, and he who needs 1t will
| receive assistance.
| we netQ ITO lOIlBcE lear '1dCA Va NO-
ordination and operation at cross pur-
| poses by corporations representing the
different commodities.
mo idle funds will lie in the treasury
reserves of several corporations while
one or two commodities are in dis
| tress.
Taxpayers will not be asked for
money to rehabilitate one commodity In
which operations have been unsuccess-
| full, while another commodity is build
i ing reserves which may later 60 into
| profits
Under this amendment the plan Is
surely put into operation Under the bill,
the safer prophecy is that it will never
take effect"
THE amendment places responsibility
! for the success or failure Of the stabili-
cation work where it belongs-on the
administration. The administration
bill permits idle boaSting of success if
there be any, and the shifting OF blame
elsewhere in case Of failure.
Under both plans the Government Is
in a measure in business. The issue IS:
The Government being in business, shall
| 1t conduct it effectively or shall
it have its hands and feet tied with red
tape and shall it waste its breath in idle
| ceremony"