The Bismarck tribune., 1933-04-12
GUARANTEED COST
OF PRODUCTION IS
Cause OF TROUBLE
Some Democratic StaIwarts
Oppose inclusion Of Scheme.
in Farm Aid Bin
INITIATION PROPOSAL URGED
Oklahoma Senator Would Give
President Broad Power to
Expand Currency

Washington, April l2.-(R-An u.
fort to cut from the Roosevelt farm
provisions for guaranteeing the
farmer production costs was planned
Wednesday by senate Democratic
stalwarts, while currency expansion
flationary proposal.
As the house continued debate on
the administration $4,000 900 900 farm
mortgage refinancing plan. senators
formally opened debate on the agri-
cultural aid bill after having been
begged down in discussion Of Russian
recognition and whether to reconsid-
er the Black five-day-week bill.
Senator Thomas Oem., Okla.)
proposed an additional section to the
bill which would vest broad powers
in President Roosevelt to expand the
currency.
The Thomas amendment would
also permit free coinage Of silver and
reduce the gold content Of the dol
lar.
The proposal, first specific plan
to be advocated by senate inflation-
ACt0s WdO OOOuIAtVCu 10 X6SC OSCCyOu
OF the sweeping farm bill and will
not be voted on until the price. lift
ing and mortgage refinancing prov-
sions are decided.
Il Not Mandatory
It does not make initiation man
datory but authorizes the president
to expand the currency either by t.
suance OF federal reserve notes un.
der the 'greenback" currency law Of
1862; by fixing the ratio Of silvers
value to gold and permitting free
coinage Of the metal at that value:
or by fixing the gold content Of the
dollar.
The amendment also seeks 70 ct
up q dollar sterilization board 70
maintain q stabilized purchAsine
power for the dollar. with members
to be the secretary Of the treasury.
i federal reserve board governor, comp
troller Of the currency and two mem.
bers named by the president.
The senate agriculture committee.
IN its report Of the farm bill, recon-
mended initiation, and members Of
both houses have demanded In
speeches that the currency b. sx.
panded as part Of the program 70 aid
agriculture.
Norris Rep. Neb.) explained the
production cost guaranty plan, which
he sponsored in the agriculture COM
mittee as an amendment to the I'd.
ministration bill. Under It. q mini
mum price would be fixed for that
share OF the farmers crop going into
the domestic market. sufficient to in
sure production costs.
Norris told colleagues it would be
optional with the other proposals to
lift farm prices and would be employ.
ed at the discretion Of Secretary Wal.
lace, who has been represented on the
floor as unfriendly to the production
cost idea.
Would Require Few Men
Norris said his plan would require
the employment Of fewer men than
any other plan In the bill. The mill
er would be required to pay the price
fixed by the secretary for that por-
ton Of his purchases representing do
mestic consumption.
II realize it Is severe method" he
said. There will Be hardship here
and there and many difficulties. No
man can tell how any Of these plans
are going to work. We are to q great
extent performing an experiment.
But the world is confronted with
predicament it has never faced be-
fore. We have got to take some
chances and delegate some power"
The mortgage section Of the I'd.
ministration bill neared q final vote
in the house Wednesday where de-
bate has been limited ana amend
ments, except those offered by the
agriculture committee, outlawed.
House approval Of this section Of the
farm relief program was forecast as
certain.
But hopes for final congressional
approval this week Of the entire pro.
gram were dimmed by the roaring
senate debate which Tuesday includ-
ed . heated exchange on PRECEDENT
Roosevelt's efforts 70 Tar 10 achieve
economic recovery.
Robinson Of Arkansas, the Demo-
cratic leader, spoke out boldly for
the administration, saying that
Roosevelt had "led In the accom-.
plishment Of more during the four
weeks he has been In office than has
ever been accomplished during .
comparable period"
Robinson's speech was provoked by
what he termed unfair" criticism of
the president BY Senators Long
(Dem.. Lad and Robinson (Rep.,
Ind.).
The Indiana Robinson attacked tn
Roosevelt economy bin With II
sweeping cuts In war veterans beue-
fits Long directed his romaxlEs
chiefly ct the forestry empaoyment
btll for putting $4,000 men % voek