Evening star., 1933-04-29
r.2s bv Carrier within the City.
Msmber Of the Associated Press.
The Era Of Experimentation.

The Era Of Experimentation.
Senate approval late yesterday Of the
farm bill, containing the imitation
amendment-or maybe 1t would be
more accurate to say the imitation
amendment containing the farm bill
practically completes congressional ac-
tion ON one Of the administrations ma
jor experiments in trying to force
economic recovery.
The House passed the farm bill more
than Q month ago. At that time in
nationary schemes were in the wind,
but none OF them had assumed tangible
proportions. The Senate began debate
of the farm bill with the possible no
ton In the minds Of its sponsors that
this measure a. then written would
represent the most radical experiment
In the history Of our Government. Its
fundamental purpose was to tax one
part Of the population, the consumers
Of basic farm commodities, in order to
pay the farmers - bonus for taking
steps that would raise prices paid for
basic farm commodities by these same
consumers. It would transfer funds
from one segment Of the population to
the other.
But it was not long before there was
demonstration Of the fact that, mas
much as there Is to be experimenting
. larger and more adequately equipped
laboratory should be provided for the
experimenters.
Ono Of the important additions al
most Immediately made to the farm
bill laboratory was q new wing, built
against the wishes Of the administra-
tion, for . separate little experiment
in price-nxing on large scale. This
wing Is represented in the amendment
which gives the Secretary Of Agricul-
ture the authority to fx by law the
prices Of farm products, that price COW
sring the cost Of production" Of the
products plus profit for the producer.
This experiment may never be made.
It would be, In truth, . revealing ex-
periment, and II workable In the case
Of agriculture. would doubtless be
workable In the case Of industry. It
would eliminate at one stroke An army
of difnculties. for, II every producer
could have hts cost Of production and
profit guaranteed to him by his gov
ernment, nobody need ever expect to
lose anything any more IN that great
and grand future that lies before Us.
A little while after the cost Of pro-
duction amendment was added to the
farm bill An amendment was inserted,
backed by the administration. for the
rednancing Of farm mortgages 1T four
and . half per cent interest through
issuance Of Federal Farm Land Bank
bonds, the Treasury to guarantee the
interest. The amendment also pro-
vided for the postponement Of delin-
auent mortgage payments.
And about this time the Senate de-
SEATED, by the narrow margin Of 43 to
~, another amendment for remonetiz-
ing silver at the ratio Of 16 to /. This
brought the imitation issue squarely to
che fore. The President countered by
proposing an amendment Of his own
adding, as it were, still another wing
10 the farm bill laboratory for expert
nnents In currency imitation. The his
tory Of this amendment is now familiar.
How much the laboratory wing for cur
rency debasement Will be used remains
. matter of doubt.
Enthusiastic experimenters were anx-
tous to add a separate chamber for
experimenting in currency imitation
through paying of the soldiers bonus
But. perhaps weary Of experiments, and
assured by Senator Robinson that the
President was firmly opposed to it, the
Senators decisively defeated the SOL
diers' bonus amendment.
The farm bill now goes back to the
house, where it will be sent to confer
enoe. Senator Robinson's move in ask
ing for conference is expected to ex-
pedite the measures consideration. 1t
will probably 60 to the White House In
practically the same form that it passed
the Senate. The House has already
passed, as q separate measure, the
mortgage refinancing bill.
This Is the era Of large-scale legis-
1ative experimentation. 1t has been
said. Of course, that all legislation is
experimental. But experiments are
usually guided By experience. People
no longer experiment with the leaves of
poison ivy, for instance, for they know
By experience the results. There is ex-
perience to indicate that the farm bills
experiments are hazardous and un-
certain. What they will actually re-
veal remains to be demonstrated