The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-29
HERE COMES CONGRESS!


Small business men are being
ruined, and farmers forced to pay
excessive prices, opponents will
say.
Labor favors the NRA plan and
appreciates gains made under the
blue eagle, but remains far from
satisfied with NRA'S operation.
Labor wants shorter hours in
codes and will bring pressure on
congress for a thirty-hour week
law.
Thereu be a fight for such
bill, and probably a vote, but the
administration is believed to re-
gard the measure as too drastic
now.
CHAIRMAN CONNERY of the
~ house labor committee has
demanded Johnson's resignation
or reversal of labor policies, ex-
pressing a widespread belief that
labor has been getting the small
end from NRA.
Senator Wagner of New York,
who as chairman of the national
labor board, has insisted rigidly on
the collective bargaining right,
will lead fight to strengthen and
clarity NRA labor provisions. The
result may be to abolish the COM
pany union system.
The amount of new public works
funds may not be decided until
late in the session. Spring is ex-
pected to bring the full effects of
the billions already allocated. The
sum will be at least 1900, 100000.
Senator La Toilette of WiScon-
sin, who thought $3,300,000,0O0 was
too little to begin with, will fight
for a $10,000,0 100000 program as
mild method of wealth redistribu-
ton which would increase mass
purchasing power.
Emergency relief funds also will
be requested in accordance with
apparent need. Four million per-
sons are employed under the civil
works plan, but President RooSe-
welt hopes to taper off that project
by May, with the thought that
most of the workers will be en-
ployed otherwise.
The $350,0O0,000 asked would
carry CWA through unit May.
4 GRICULTURE will figure
"A most spectacularly through
the demand from farm regions for
imitation. The AAA and the crop
reduction program will be closely
scrutinized on the Hill, however,
and there may be a movement 10
abolish the processing taxes
Wheat, cotton, and corn-hog
payments and loans have reduced
the farm unrest of a few weeks
ago and returning congressman
reflect the declining bitterness to-
ward AAA. Farm prices stand at
only 81 per cent of the price
parity which the AAA sets as its
goal but that's an increase from
so in March.
Thanks to price increases and
crop-cut bonuses, farm income
has risen from $5,000,000,000 IN
1882 to $6,500,000,000 in 1888. The
only loud complaints now come
from the cattle country.
Demands for cost of production
guarantees will be in vain.
About billion dollars in proc
essing taxes is provided in the
present AAA program and addi-
tional levies are expected on cat
tie, sugar and milk. This tax is
regarded as a sales tax or con-
sumers of the necessities. of life
and is charged with reducing con-
sumption and thus hurting the
farmer.
1t is imposed on packers, mill
erS and other prOceSSorS-WhO
pass it to consumers-and the
proceeds go to compensate farm
ers participating in the reduction
plans.
The processing tax probably
won't be abandoned this year, de-
spite some sentiment for raising
the money through another form
Of taxation.
The farm credit administration
will come in for attacks, on the
ground that it hasn't helped
mortgaged farmers sufficiently
and has made too low apprais-
ais, but reorganization of the FCA
is only just now being completed,
and in this case, too, farmer re-
sentiment seems to be subsiding.
Next - Banks, stock market,
veterans, and other issues before
congress.