Evening star., 1934-10-05

Attacks upon the Bankhead cotton
curtailment law in some sections Of
the cotton-growing territory are
abating now that assurances are given
of Government action to remove in
equalities affecting small producers
particularly.
1t is explained by the Jackson
CMiss.) Daily News that the clamor
for modification of the law comes
chiefly from farmers in States east of
the Mississippi. where production ex-
ceeded allotments, and it will be
necessary to pay the special levy of
5l2 cents a pound on all cotton above
the quota" The News adds that "the
Bankhead act is frankly an expert
ment, and no experiment is worth
while until carried to finish"
mo effort should be lacking" says
the Atlanta Constitution, Ito care for
the small producer. who is the victim
of a situation that has developed
through no fault of his own and which
he could not have prevented. The
allotments should be so distributed as
to take care of these farmerS-and
the distribution should take place
with the least delay possible. S9neSe
farmers are, in the main. those who
have in the past needed the call for
diversification and have further re-
duced their production by observing
the plowing-up and Bankhead act
regulations"
The Texas Legislature" in the
opinion of the Fort Worth Star-Tele-
gram, gave the only practical answer
to the proposal of resolution de-
manding immediate abandonment, of
the machinery of the Bankhead cot
ton act. 1t turned down the resolu-
ton. and evidenced a disposition in
stead to memorialize the National
Government for retention of the act.
That this is the only sensible thing
to do is evident from the circum-
stances of Texas cotton growers at
the moment. In the first place. the
cotton producers are getting today
twice as much for their cotton as
they did last year. Whether or not
all this increase is due to the ploW-
UP operations of the A. A. A. and to
the Bankhead act is beside the point
The fact that they are getting this
higher price creates a specizl situa-
ton whose implications are made only
the clearer by the further fact of the
drought"
"It has been decided not to suspend
the provisions of the act, even though
the crop this year will be under the
quota set up by the law" reports
the Birmingham News, and that paper
explains the measures taken to meet
current criticisms: THE Farm Ad-
ministration is proceeding to remedy
inequalities in cotton allotments un-
der the Bankhead act through the
use of the 10 per cent reserve OF the
national quota set aside by pro-
vision in the act for that purpose.
AS soon as individual allotments of
80 per cent of the quota are COM
pleted the 10 per cent reserve will
be apportioned so as to remedy the
inequities which have been COM
planned of, the complaints coming
mostly from small producers. The
Farm Administration has ordered
State committees to reduouble efforts
to complete the individual allotments
of the 80 per cent In order that the
reserve may be utilized as quickly as
possible. The authorities believe that
the use of the 10 per cent reserve
will take care Of most of the in
equalities."
Suspension or modification of the
control act now" according to the
Texarkana Gazette, would be chang
ing horses In the middle Of the stream