Evening star., 1934-06-10
SENATORS TO QUIZ
TUGWELL MONDAY
Agricultural Committee to
Conduct Hearing on Under
secretary Appointment.
(Continued From First Page)

the ratio of ! to 1000 when COM
pared to the number Of congratu-
latory messages 1t is Senator Byrd's
contention that If these amendments
be adopted they will make the Secre-
tary of Agriculture the absolute die
tator to practically every farmer in
the country, telling him exactly how
much he may produce and what.
Opposition Is Democratic.
The voices raised in protest in the
Senate against the confirmation OF ;:e
nomination of Mr.. Tugwell so far have
been Democratic. Senator Smith was
set against the appointment in the
first place and the nomination has
fingered before his committee for
nearly two months without being
acted upon. 1t was the inSistence OF
the President zEhich brought Senator
Robinson of Arkansas, Democratic
leader Of the Senate, to move Friday
that the nomination be taken away
from the committee forthwith and
voted upon in the Senate. And it
was Senator Byrd's demand that be-
fore such course oe followed the COM
mittee be given an opportunity to in
terrogate Mr.. Tugwen on his views of
government and other questions.
The hearing tomorrow may be
lively affair. Most Of the members of
the committee are friendly to Tug
wells appointment to be Undersec-
retary. Senator Smith has said that
he would get the largest room in the
Capitol for the hearing. if necessary,
and invite all the members of the
Senate to attend. Byrd is not a
member of the Committee on Agricul-
ture, but it is expected that he will
be on hand and will be permitted to
question the brain truster" Still
other Senators, not members of the
committee, may seek a similar privi-
lege. In his speeches and writings be-
lore he became Assistant Secretary Of
Agriculture. Mr.. Tugwell said a num-
ber of things which have been inter-
preted as meaning that the Constitu-
tion and statutes of the United States,
as now written, will have to be dis
pensed with, along with the States,
before planned economy can be in
stalled. Mr. Tugwell is also the CO.
author of Our Economic Society,""
published only a few weeks ago.
which Senators say makes similar as
sertions.
Confident of Confirmation.
The administration leaders are con-
fldent that they will be able TO con-
firm the appointment of Mr.. Tugweu.
Last night it was predicted in some
quarters that from 10 to 20 Demo-
cratic Senators would vote against
Tugwell. But even so, enough pro
gressive" Republican Senators are ex-
pected to fall in line for Tugwell to
offset Democratic losses and put the
nomination across.
The Senate committee is under in
structions to bring the nomination
before the Senate by Tuesday noon
with some kind of a report. This is
expected to be favorable Unless
unanimous consent is obtained for
consideration of the nomination when
1t is made Tuesday, then under the
rule the nomination will have to lie
over until Wednesday.
When the Tugwell appointment
comes actually before the Senate, it
is likely to serve as vehicle for Re
publican attack upon the new deal.
the RECOMMENDATION" of the farmers
and of industry which the admins
tration is charged with having under
taken.
Mr. Tugwell, in his letter to Senator
Byrd, defended the acts of the A. A. A.
His letter follows:
Text of Tugwelrs Letter.
Dear Senator Byrd:
In reply to your letter of June /,
would like to state what I said at
the press conference on May 81 in
somewhat more precise manner than
1t was reported by the Washington
Herald on the following day in the
quotation to which you refer.
Under the general marketing agree
n1ent and licensing powers already in
the agricultural adjustment act, we
have worked out marketing agree
ments which are benehtting producers
OF fluid milk. rice, peanuts, tree
fruits, organges, tobacco and many
other products. The progress of these
operations is always subject to attack
in the courts, and there have been
several occasions when they were de-
layed for considerable periods pending
the outcome of the court decisions.
The orange control work was the one
TO date which has been most seriously
held up. The decisions of the courts,
when finally obtained, have been gen.
erably favorable in all cases so far, so
that it appears that what We are do
ing is in conformity with the policy
laid down by Congress as set forth by
the law and is so generally under
stood by the courts If, however,
Congress were to definitely spell out
the powers under the act, as sug-
gested in the amendments already
proposed, that would give farmers
sull greater confidence in the sue
cessful carrying through of the opera
tions which we have already under
taken, and of securing marketing
agreements which might be placed
into effect in the future at the request
Oh the producers concerned.
s'It was with that idea in mind that
I stated at the press conference that
We regarded the amendments, not as
widening our powers, but rather as
clarifying what the act already au-
thorized us to do. 1t was also in that
connection that I stated that certain
of the amendments simply permitted
uS to do what we are already doing.
E'Obviously. our power to control
the distribution and marketing to
prevent production such as is
now being undertaken with respect to
citrus crops, canned peaches and
many other products would be lin
ited If we were prevented by court
action from carrying them through.
1riasmuch as these marketing agree
nients have materially increased the
income of the farmers concerned, it
WOULD seem that such a result would
certainly be contrary to the general
policy which the Administration is
following for farm relief. and which
was as clearly set forth in the general
statement of principles of the agri-