Evening star., 1935-10-26
CORN-HOG BALLOT
OUTCOME DOUBTED
BY A. A. A. CHIEFS
Farmers in 48 States Ex-
press Opinion of Program
in Voting Today.
TOTAL POLL EXPECTED
TO BE MORE THAN 500. 900
Referendum Comes as Control
Policy, Recently Defended by
President, Is Warmly Debated.
BY the Associated Press.

The New Deals most far-flung agri-
cultural control program underwent a
ballot-box test today as farmers in 48
States voted in a crucial corn-hOg
referendum.
The question confronting the pro-
ducers as they went to 1000 polling
places was this:
DO you favor a corn-hog ADJUST
ment program to follow the 1885 pro-
gram which expires November 80,
1882"
The polls, which opened at s am,
local time. will close at 10 pm, and
first results of the balloting are ex-
pected here by midnight. While ex-
pressing hope that a program would
be approved, A. A. A. officials said
there was serious doubt about the out
come.
They believed the total vote would
be larger than the 579,716 farmers
who balloted on a similar question in
october, 1884. In that referendum.
389.l39 voters approved program,
and 190,577 opposed.
DCUdtC
The referendum comes at a time
when debate is intensifying over the
A. A. A. policy of crop control, with
its system cd benefit payments to
farmers for adjusting production and
acreage.
Critics have charged regimentation;
have aSSailed so-called scarcity" eco
nomics, and have called consumer at
tention to present high prices of pork.
Defenders of the A. A. A. have said
the control program is a Democratic
process; that farmers must fit pro-
duction to demand as long as industry
works that way, and that the present
hog shortage is due to the drought.
Observers watched for the effect on
todays ballotting of a statement Presl-
dent Roosevelt issued on the eve Of
the referendum. Envisioning a "sim-
plified and more flexible adjustment
program" of a long-term character,
he also referred specifically to corn
and hogs.
THE time may come" he said.
when the A. A. A. will prove as
important in stimulating certain kinds
of production as it has been in re-
moving burdensome surpluses. For
example, an expanded production OF
hogs, to replace shortages caused by
the drought, is contemplated under
the proposed new corn-hog program"
Cut in Corn Acreage.
The 1885 program, now in effect,
called for a 10 to 80 per cent cut
in corn acreage and a 10 per cent
slash in hog production, but A. A. A.
officials said that because of the
drought, few farmers could produce
as much as 90 per cent of their base
hog production.
An increase of from Is to 80 per
cent in hog production will be sought
for next year. A. A. A. officials have
said, but they added that if control
machinery we're not continued the
bottom might drop out of hog prices
in 1897.
There was a disposition among some
observers today to look on the presi-
Dental statement of yesterday as a
possible move to offset any critical
demands for the elimination Of red
tape, for reduced costs and simplifled
procedure.
Future Control Seen.
A. A. A. officials, studying the Presi-
dents statement, said they saw a
future control program in which pay
rolls would be reduced, management
would be decentralized, and farmers
given as nearly complete control as
possible.
Census Bureau statistics say there
are 4500,000 farmers who produce
some corn and some hogs. But farm
officials say probably 2,500,0 900 of these
their own farms or only enough hogs
for home consumption and would not
be concerned with adjustment con-
tracts.
Records show 1,032,57S adjustment
contracts have been signed by corn
hog farmers this year, with additional
contracts yet to be received in Wash
ington. The total last year was 1885,
294 contracts.
Success Predicted in Iowa.
DES MONIES, Iowa, October 26 up.
-Corn-hog committees reported yes
terday that absent voters ballots
checked in two counties so far indi-
cate a comfortable majority in the
national referendum tomorrow on pro-
duction control continuation.
Wapello County committeeman said
that of approximately 600 absentee
ballots received, 80 per cent approved
continuation.
They said the large number of early
ballots, cast by those unable to reach
the polls today, indicates heavy vote
in Southern Iowa.
Committeeman in Jasper County
said that of II absentee ballots
checked, SO contract signers voted for
continuation.