Evening star., 1934-03-30
HOUSE TO RESIST
COTTON CHANGES
Advocates Seek to Retain
Features Of Original
Bankhead Bill.

Bankhead Bill.
BY the Associated Press.
House advocates Of the controverted
Bankhead compulsory cotton control
bill declared themselves frankly puz-
zled today over how to save the legis-
lation so radically rewritten by the
Senate.
1T doesn't look like the same baby
we sent to the Senate remarked
Chairman Jones of the House Agricul-
ture Committee. "Its clothes are
pretty badly torn, but maybe We can
fix it up in conference"
Members of the Agriculture Com
mittee Immediately began studying the
Senate amendments preparatory to
seeking a conference between the two
branches next week.
Seen UnenforceabIe.
AS passed by the Senate yesterday,
IS to 49, the measure levieS a rs per
cent tax upon the value of all cotton
ginned in excess of 10000 900 bales in
the coming crop year. but it was loaded
with so many amendments that some
of its advocates asserted it was un-
enforceable.
Senator Bankhead (DemocraD of
Alabama, co-author with his brother
in the House, expressed the belief the
conferees would work out a bill that
would accomplish the original purpose
of restricting production to stimulate
prices and cut down the big carry
over that has been depressing quota
tions.
Representative ByrnS of Tennessee
Democratic house leader, said moth
ing would be done until next week.
when Representative Bankhead Dem
ocraD of Alabama returned to con-
slider the matter.
AS was the case in the House.
number of Senators who voted for it
expressed doubt about its constitu-
tionality.
Life of Bill Cut.
The Senate cut the life of the bill
from two years to one, and exempted
six bales to each grower from the tax,
which would be levied at the gin in
stead of when sold as stipulated in
the SO per cent tax imposed by the
House. The period on which the al
lotmentS to States are to be based was
extended from . to 10 years, and the
penalty for violation was cut from
maximum fine Of 81 900 and year S
imprisonment to a S1O0 fine.
Several members of the Senate an
nounced they were supporting the
bill with misgivings.
i am voting for the measure with
all my fingers and toes crossed"
Barkley of Kentucky said.
Voted With Misgivings.
Stephens of Mississippi said he
voted for the bill with "misgivings"
and doubts as to its constitutional
ity," but that he had laid his fears
aside in view of the great need for
relief in the cotton area and the
strong desire of the South for this
bill"
Only one Senator from a State
that produces any considerable
amount of cotton opposed final pas
sage. He was Bailey of North Caro-
lima Gore of Oklahoma was paired
against the bill.
Supporters of the bill said efforts
would be made in conference to make
the bill applicable for two years; to
eliminate the siX-bale exemption and
to restore the penal provisions.
Some of the penal amendments by
Senator Gore would authorize the
Secretary of Agriculture to enact
penal statutes to enforce the act
Proponents OF the bill said this was
authorizing a ridiculous impossible
ity," but they offered no objections
to the changes. confident they would
strike them cut in conference
Secretary Wallace, while lukewarm
toward the compulsory step, called
the bill IAN interesting experiment"
During the debate, Southern Sena-
tors conceded that most of the cot
ton growers wanted the bill passed.
Gully A. Cobb, chief of the cotton
section of the farm administration, on
whose shoulders will fall much of the
detail work of applying the compulsory
act, last night announced the probable
distribution by States of the 10000, 900
bales.
The figures were based on a five
year average of cotton production from
1928 to 1882 according to the original
provision of the bill. Widening of
the base to 10 years will make no
appreciable difference in the figures
Cobb said, except more equitable
distribution for States which have not
increased production materially In
the past few years.
Texas Gets Big Quota.
Texas, largest cotton producing
3.123OOO bales with Mississippi, the
only other State to be allowed pro-
duction of over a million bales,
l,O63oOO.
Other State figures are: Arkansas,
$4,000; Alabama, 5000; Georgia
S47,OOO; Oklahoma, 10000, South
Carolina, $4,000; North Carolina,
$4,000; Louisiana, sos 900; Tennessee,
$4,000; California, 10000; Missouri,
$4,000; Arizona, $1,000; New Mexico,
900; Virginia, 10000; Florida,
$4,000; Kentucky, $500; Illinois, 700,
and Kansas, 400.
a A.