Evening star., 1935-04-23
BYRD FEARS CHAOS
UNDER FARM RULE.
Says Wallace Control Is Bad
PoIicy-U. S. Bureaus
Termed "kingIy."

The prediction that "chaos and
confusion" would result from enact
ment of legislation giving Secretary
of Agriculture Wallace "dictatorial'
powers over the farmers Of the coun-
try was made last night by Senator
Byrd, Democrat, Of Virginia, speaking
In the National Radio Forum, ar
ranged by The Evening Star and
broadcast over a Nationwide hookup
Of the National Broadcasting Co.
Senasor Byrd vigorously opposed the
clarifying" amendment to the agri-
culture adjustment act of last year,
the bill later dying on the calendar
because Of such opposition.
The Virginian said he sympathized
with the Secretary Of Agriculture. but
that his 80 years experience as q
farmer would not permit him to favor
the giving of such broad powers to
one man as would be granted under
the provisions of the amendment.
Lavish Spending Hit.
Senator Byrd criticized the lavish
spending of public funds. saying that
never in the history Of the country
has there been such widespread spend
ing to control the opinions Of the
people"
He referred to the Federal bureaus
as "kingly' in their dealings with the
public. He said the taxing power of
the Congress had been given to these
bureaus.
Byrd took the Government to task
for going into business in competition
with private industry, and advised
that the administration look to ways
and means of increasing consumption
of farm products and re-establishment
of export trade.
Text of Address.
The text of Senator Byrd's speech
follows:
A year ago I opposed amendments
to the agricultural adjustment act that
would make the Secretary of Agricul-
ture the supreme dictator over every
one who produces food and over every
one who handles such products. The
legislation died on the calendar by
reason of the intense opposition that
then developed.
Tonight again speak in opposition
to the same legislation dressed up
little differently and worded more
adroitly, so as to conceal the real
meaning, but in Senate bill 1907 vir-
tually the same proposals are now
before the Senate.
The danger today is that only one
side of the vital issues now confront.
ing our people will be presented. The
restraining influence of public sent1-
ment may not be vocal enough to pre-.
vent the adoption of legislative policies
which the people themselves may Bit
terly oppose after the full effects are
understood.
Never in our history have public
funds been so lavishly spent to con.
troll the opinions of our people al
now. Never have so many highly
paid publicity agents been in the en-
ploy OF our Government. And fol
what? To influence the Congress tc
adopt legislative policies, when under
our representative democracy the swell
of public sentiment should come from
the patriotism and the uninfluenced
and considered judgment of our citi-
zens back home.
Forecasts Confusion.
In this legislation my experience o1
30 years as farmer convinces me
that sweeping powers to license the
farmers and all who handle food are
Impractical. Chaos and confusion te
the farming industry will inevitably
result.
Throughout my public career a:
Governor of Virginia and then as Sen
ator my desire has been to promote
the welfare of the farmers. My firm
conviction is that the prosperity oi
the farmer controls the prosperity o1
our Nation. So tonight I speak as 9
farmer to other farmers, and only ask
that my remarks be considered as con-
tributing to this debate the position
of one who has had practical expert
ence and is considering the realities
have great sympathy with Secre.
tary Wallace in his difficult tasks.
am anxious to cooperate with him
in all sound measures to improve the
condition of agriculture, but cannot
vote to grant him power no official
should have in a democratic country
and no human being could effectively
make use of. Like him, am desir-
Gus to consolidate the gains agricul-
ture has made in the last two years
The time has come to consider these
improvements from the standpoint o1
the future, SO that underconsumption
of our farm products and the loss OF
our export trade may be remedied and
thereby place agriculture on q sounder
basis Of prosperity.
Charges Lack Of Frankness.
say the advocates of this legisla-
tion have not been frank because the
amendments to the agricultural ad-
justment act are termed merely "clar-
flying" when the legislation proposed
gives to the Secretary of Agriculture
dictatorial powers to license, upon
such terms as he may determine, not
only virtually every farmer, but every
handler and distributor Of foods as
well.
Remember that the existing agri-
cultural adjustment act gives power