Evening star., 1933-01-15
NEWT ARM RELIEF
/. SENTIMENT GROWS
Senators Are Favorin 9
Broadening of Domestic AL
Iotment in Bill.

ny the Associated freSS.
A growing sentiment for broadening
the domestic allotment farm relief bill
to apply to all agricultural products
was evident last night among members
of the Senate committee which will
cc--sider the measure rcnA<row.
Also apparently gaining eseund was
the view that because of the r~-sl char
acter of the plan, the legislation should
be altered so that 1t might be applied
experimentally to one product and
then, If it works, extended to others.
One proposal advanced as solution
for both objections was that the bill be
amended to give the Secretary of Agri-
culture authority to operate the ingen-
iouS system of bountles in connection
with one or more commodities as he
sees fit.
Buck Passing Seem
Amendment along these lines had
powerful support, but there were some
who objected on the ground this would
be nothing more than passing the
buck" to the Agriculture Department:
In day Of renewed discussion OF the
agricultural problem, hearings were
Senator Harrison, Democrat, of Missis-
sippi, under which the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation would be author
lied to lend the owners OF mortgageo
property sufficient money to pay their
taxes for the next two years.
The full support of the American
Farm Bureau Federation was given the
bill by its Legislative representative.
Chester GRAY
Senator Harrison, describing the farm
mortgage situation as most acute, toio
the Banking Committee the enactment
of such a measure at the present session
is imperative.
Most of the farm relief discussion,
however, swirled around the lengthy
domestic allotment" bill Traditionally
more conservative than the House, the
Senate hesitated to translate into law
plan which many of its members con-
sidered of doubtful practicahilfty.
Torn between this feeling and a
strong desire to do something definite
in the way of farm relief before the
present Eession ends, many of the Sen
ates agricultural leaders of both parties
showed a disposition to make some
changes in 1t.
Plans to Hasten Action
Senator McNary of Oregon, chairman
of the Agriculture Committee, planned
to get the measure rewritten and out on
the Senate floor as quickly as possible.
The Oregon Senator, whose ideas usu-
ally prevail in his committee, is strongly
against holding hearings on the meas
ure, although several committee men,
bers have expressed desire for more
testimony.
Arguing that the views of parties in
terested were amply presented in the
House hearings last month, McNary
hopes to convince his associates that
they would serve no useful purpose and
would only delay action on the bill.
An opinion was expressed by Senator
Thomas, Republican. of Idaho, that the
seven commodities selected by the House
were not properly representative.
As now written the bill provides for
a tax on the professors of wheat, cot
ton, tobacco, hogs, butterfat. peanuts
and rice, the proceeds to be paid to
producers, on their share of domestic
consumption in an amount sufficient
to restore pre-war parity with indus
trial products.
Senator Bulow, Democrat, of South
Dakota, said of the BILL
II think we ought to do something
for agriculture, but whether or not this
is the solution might be open to serious
question. .s
Personally would be more in favor
of trying it out on. one article to see
how it works before we go too far"
Currency Imitation Discussed.
There were indications in several
quarters that attempts might be made
to propose currency imitation of farm
mortgage relief legislation as amend
ments to the domestic allotment bill.
Representatives of the leading farm
organizations meanwhile are working
on bill, which is reported to have the
approval Of President-elect Roosevelt,
designed to deal with the mortgage
situation.
Although not yet in definite shape.
it is believed to provide for merging
the Joint Stock Land Banks and the
Federal Land Banks and establishing
mediation commissions to bring about
a voluntary adjustment between debtors
and creditors.