The Washington times., 1931-03-19
FARM AID SEEN
ASPURPOSE Of
BORAH VISIT
Idaho Senator Believed to
Have Talked With Hoover
on Agricultural Program
BY GEORGE r.. HOLMES

BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
The possibility that new Ad
ministration farm relief program
may grow out of the reconcilia.
ton between President Hoover
and Senator William E. Borah OF
Idaho was envisioned here today
in the wake of Borah's visit to
the White House yesterday.
BOrah spent nearly two hours
with Mr.. Hoover, discussing party
affairs and policies. 1t marked
his first appearance at the White
House since he became one OF
Mr.. HOOver'S severeSt critics.
It may be coincidence. but the
cynical politicians that crowd
Capitol Hill called attention to
the fact that after more than
a year of GOODNESS and strained
relationship, the Presidents in
vitation to Senator Borah was
extended within a week after the
1dahoan was named chairman Of
the agricultural section of the
bipartisan Progressives here last
week.
Charts Farm Relief
AS chairman of that section,
Borah is charged with drawing
up a farm relief policy that will
command bipartisan support with
the new Seventy-second Congress.
Heretofore, Borah has sup
ported more advanced farm relief
ideas than the Administration
would accept. He favored both
the equalization fee plan ana the
export debenture plan, which Mr..
Hoover denounced as economically
unSound and bordering on State
Socialism.
The expectation has prevailed
that, with progressive support,
Borah would revive the debenture
scheme in the new Congress and
rally to it the Democrats and
Western Republicans.
The administrations growing
concern over the agricultural
situation and the political temper
Of the grain belt has been very
apparent of late.
Prices Drop Again
In the dying days of the Seven
gressive conference here, charges
were broadcast that despite the
creation of the Federal Farm
Board and it's expenditure Of
$500, 100000 the administrations
plan of farm relief has collapsed
and failed.
The February index of agricul
tural commodity prices this week
showed the general level to have
slumped off two more points to
the lowest index in 20 years.
BY entering the wheat pit, the
Farm Board has managed to keep
the domestic price of wheat
above world levels, but it is now
Saddled with some 100000 900
bushels of the old crop, with a
new crop just around the corner.
What the board is going to do
with this 100000, ,000-bushel sur
plus. let alone the surplus now
coming along in the new crop,
is a puzzle which the Administra-
ton "beSt minds" have thus far
been unable to solve. Hints that
it would be dumped" abroad
have already irritated European
countries, which have surplusses
of their own.
Cost Would Be Heavy
The proposed dumping, anyway,
could not be accomplished except
at the price of terrific monetary
loss to the Farm Board, for some
of this wheat was bought at
prices ranging up to SIPS a
bushel, or nearly twice the pres
ent price.
Said Borah:
"The prospect looks dark to
me. don't see how the board
can postpone a CRITICAL decision
much longer. The higher we
pile up a surplus the greater
the depressing effect on the
world"
It is regarded as probable that
following his return from his |
Caribbean vacation, Mr.. Hoover
is going to see more of Senator
Borah. The Idahoan rendered |
yeoman service for Mr.. Hoover in
1928, constituting with Charles
Evans Hughes his most effective
campaigner Borah's influence !
with the Western progressives is
undeniable. Therefore, Admins
tration leaders would heave sighs |
Of real relief with the Idahoan
securely back in the party fold |