Evening star., 1933-01-29
FARM BILL FACES
B|TTEREST FIGHT
Full Week of Hearings on Al
Iotment Plan Due in Sen
ate Committee.
0y the Associated Press.

Oy the Associated Press.
Buffeted by criticisms, the domestic
allotment farm relief bill last night
faced another full week of hearings be-
fore the Senate Agriculture Committee
can get to work on it with view to
reporting it to the Senate.
The heaviest barrage of opposition yet
is expected to be laid down tomorrow
when the packers open up against the
measure, with c. F. Swift Of the insti-
tute Of American Meat Packers as their
big gun.
A fiat prediction of failure for the
allotment price boosting plan unless it
is accompanied by measures for cur
rency and credit expansion was given
a House committee yesterday by the
head of one of the big farm organiza-
tions which united to draw it up.
The statement was made by John A.
Simpson, president of the National
Farmers Union, during hearings on in
fiation legislation before the Ways and
Means Committee. He has stated pre-
iously that he regards the bill only as
Q "pittance" for the farmer
Four Other Objections.
Before the Senate committee. four
more voices were added to the chorus
measure passed by the House more than
two weeks ago has raised.
Objections came from a college pro-
fessor a hog raiser. a farmer AnC live
stock man and the publisher of an agri-
cultural journal
This bill seems to be novel expert
ment that some people want to try out
on the farmer" said Henry Wood, who
raises hogs on his 320-acre farm near
Moville, Iowa.
II can truthfully say the farmer is in
no mood to be trifled with or expert
mented on
He advocated currency imitation, re-
financing of home mortgages at 21a
per cent and Government economy.
Chairman McNary, Republican. of
Oregon asked him whether he had any
connection with the packers and he
replied emphatically in the negative.
The same question was asked by Nc
Nary of George Van Orman Stuart
Hartland, Wis, who described himself
as a farmer and livestock commission
merchant.
mo, only as one who sells them live
stock" the witness replied.
Under the bill. a tax would be levied
on the packer OF hogs, and the process
sor of the six other products selected,
so that a bounty could be paid to the
producer who cut his production 20
per cent. The bounty would be paid
only on the share which enters into
domestic consumption.
Other Products Dealt With.
Besides hogs, the bill deals with
wheat, cotton, tobacco. rice. peanuts
and dairy products Members of the
committee are seriously considering re-
ducing this number Chairman Nc
Nary yesterday asked one of the wit
nesses-Clarence Poe, Raleigh. N c.,
publisher of the Progressive Farmer
what he thought of confining it to
cotton and wheat.
Il think it might be justified, be-
cause its a new measure involving an
urtried policy. to try it out on cotton
and wheat tor year or two Poe re-
piled
Acreage reduction provisions Of the
bill were the particular target Of j. T.
Sanders, saltwater, Okla, head of the
Department of Agricultural Economics
Of Oklahoma Agricultural College.
IF you think the stabilization ef-
forts of the Farm Board. or prohibi-
tion. are unpopular just try to enforce
this thing on the American farmer" he
said.
Stuart said the bill would be dan
gerous." result in a tremendous sur
plus" and the complete breakdown of
our cash market for hogs
Both Wood and Stuart contended the
increased price of pork would lead the
public to use other meats, thus affect
ing the hog raiser adversely.
McNary many times advised the wit
nesses to expedite their testimony as
much as possible so the hearings will
not be too protracted.
While he plans to have the commit
tee consider 1t promptly and friends of
the legislation believe it may get Sem
ate consideration, they do not expect
its enactment this session because of
strong belief President Hoover would
veto it.
To Get Early Attention.
The measure is expected to be one of
the first to receive attention, however,
at the special session Presitent-elect
Roosevelt is expected to call this
Spring.
A bill to provide for liquidation of joint
stock and land banks threatened with
bankruptcy was introduced by Senator
Dickinson. Republican, of Iowa.
1t provides for a system of holding
companies, to which the Treasury
would subscribe the capital. to take
over banks and liquidate them IN a
fashion which would not require harsh
foreclosure on farmers property.
Another new addition to farm legis-
lation was bill introduced by Senator
Walsh, Democrat, of Montana, fcc eX-
tending and adjusting repayment of
Government seed, feed and crop pro-
duction loans.
The Secretary of Agriculture would
be empowered to extend the time for
repayment over a f1ve-year priod. to
permit farmers to use for live stock feed
crops upon which the Government holds
a lien, to waive priority of liens now
held as security tor payment, and to
release liens now held to enable farm
ers to secure credit from agricultural
o-e5it corporations or other govern
mental agencies.
bill introduced yesterday by S-n-
ator Bratton. Democrat. of New Mexico,
would permit repayment over a 10-year
period of livestock leans from the agri-
cultural credit corporations.