Evening star., 1935-04-11
Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

Something seems to have slipped bad
1y in the A. A. A. handling Of the cot
ton problem. Imports Of foreign cot
ton goods are going up and exports
Of American cotton are going down.
Such o condition hits both the Amer
ican textile mills and the American
cotton farmer. As 0 consequence
the North and South are joined in An
alliance against the New Deal A.
A. A. and its processing taxes. The
cotton farmers naturally want prices
Of raw cotton to remain at least
as high as they have been In recent
months. But II they are going to
lose their markets both in this country
and abroad something Is likely to hit
the South a blow that will be more
severe than anything that has oc-
CURED in years. Ploughing under
the cotton industry from production
to manufacture was not in the pic
ture when the administration got
under way, whatever may have been
on the inside of the heads of some
of the planners What's the use
of seeking to bolster up an industry
which may be taken over by others
is the way these gentlemen put It.
II Brazil can produce raw cotton I'd
lib. with cheap labor, and other
nations in the East can do the same,
let them 60 ahead and do it.
Cotton producers in this country.
however, are beginning to feel that
the New Dealers have. through their
policies, actually encouraged the other
nations to plant more cotton acreage.
The fat, apparently, is in the fire. Al
ready there is talk Of Southern cotton
mill interests moving their plants to
Brazil, where they can get cheaper
cotton and cheaper labor. The cotton
textile mills are up in arms over the
importations of cotton goods, espe-
cially from Japan. The Governors of
New England States and the members
of Congress. irrespective of party, are
violent in their criticism of what has
been happening in recent months to
the cotton mills in their States. They
are demanding conferences with the
President, particularly to have the
processing tax on cotton eliminated.
A group of Representatives and
Senators from the cotton-producing
States Of the South saw the President
at the White House yesterday, de-
manding that the processing tax be
put aside, that an export bounty of
$40 bale be paid on cotton and that
the policy Of making Government
loans OF II cents pound on the cur
rent cotton crop be continued. What
the President said to the delegation
has not been revealed. But 1t Is un-
derstood that he has promised to give
the matter his most serious attention.
Tomorrow the New Englanders are
expected to have their day at the
White House, In order to voice their
demands for relief for the cotton in
dustry. This drive of the North and
the South against the A. A. A. is the
most serious attack which has yet
been launched against that branch of
the New Deal.
Now that the President is back to
strengthen the administrati ton line,
every effort will be made, it is pre-
dicted, to stem the tide of revolt that
has set in on Capitol Hill. The i'm
mediate tests ahead are found in the
House, which takes up the economic
security bill today or tomorrow, and
In the Senate, which may soon have
before it the soldiers bonus bill. The
administration wants the security bill
ksSed. 1t wants the bonus bill killed.
I've House Is to consider the security,
according to present plans, without
gag" rule. which would prevent
the t1ering of amendments. and with
log debate permitted. This is
somening new in House procedure
uhoer this administration. But the
security bill has caused a great rum
pus In be Ways and Means Commit
zee ana among the members of the
House geerally. The administration
leaders eiher doubted their ability to
1asten eg rule on the House to
CONSIDER th1 measure or they believe
tnat In the end the administration
VIII nave a Sficient majority to put
the Oil througa in acceptable form.
Inc house opposed of the 81 $50.
100000 work reef bill, under a dras.
tic special rule Il procedure, within
couple Of days, The Senate ther
proceeded to take two months ant
q half to consider he measure. wen
the House is going 20 have its talk
fest over the security bill. What the
Senate will do with his measure NJ
one can predict with ccuracy today
1t is going to be lorA time gettins
through the Upper Hous.
- -
The President. Senator tobinson o.
Arkansas. Democratic leaSsr of tn,
Senate has indicated. will sead a spe
cial message to the Senate on tn,
soldiers bonus bill. He did not sal
what the message would ontain
Unless the President has shiftd hi
position he will strongly oppos tn
immediate cash payment Of tn
bonus and in particular the PatnaI
bill, passed by the House. which GIL
for the issuance of greenbacks to p,
the 1890, 900 900 necessary. In 9TH
words. the President may exert h
influence against the bonus bill prit
to its final passage rather than
wait for it to go through both Houss
and be sent to him for approval {
veto. In the Senate a bond ESl
may be substituted for the Patma
greenback idea for paying the bonu
One school of thought holds this
the President will make his recor
of opposition to the cash paymer
of the bonus clear, but that he wi
not be particularly worried If tn
measure eventually becomes a la
over his veto. President Coolide
vetoed the original bonus bill and
was passed over his objection In 1872
A few months later Mr.. Coolidge wa
elected President to succeed himsel
Similar action now by O Democrat
Congress, it is urged, may strengthe
the political position of the Pres
dent rather than weaken it. Thu
may be true, If the cash paymer
Of the bonus does not help to precipl
tate a bad credit situation for tn
| Govorppoent