Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-02-21
THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT
By CONG. JOHN PAUL KVALE

Relief for drouth areas comes closer
as this iS written, and brings renewed
hope to those who have been battling
long months for a policy and pro-
gram which would really aid these
sections, of which western Minnesota
is among the worst in the entire ma
ton. While nothing definite can yet
be written, developments in the last
few days give rise to the belief that
the President and Administrator Hop
kins are determined to adopt a COM
prehensive and practicable program
which will mean the relief and the re-
Mobilization of these distressed farm
ers. That will naturally mean that
all small town business and profess
sional groups will directly be affected.
This was limited at in this column
two weeks ago, readers may recall.
A series of visits at the relief Of
fees and at the White House. cul-
minating last evening in a conference
in the office of Senator Shipstead
which was attended by Senator La
Toilette of Wisconsin, and the writer
together with Hopkins and Colonel
Lawrence Westbrook, one of his chief
aides, has brought the climax, and it
is now hoped that a program can
speedily be worked out that will come
at least close to meeting the minimum
needs of these communities. Details
should be forthcoming in the next
few days, perhaps even before this
letter appears in print.
Another matter of interest to many
farmers is embodied in the bill pro-
posing to amend various acts now in
effect which provide for loans to
farmers. Both House and Senate COM
mittees have reported the so-called
Farm Credit Act of 1895" and the
Senate bill has been discussed on the
floor. While none of the original pro-
visions of the measure are liberal
izing in their effect, some of the Sen
ate amendments do benefit farm debt
ors.
The most important and far-reach-
| ing is the one offered by Senator
Wheeler which would reduce the in
terest on federal land bank loans
from ~ to 31a per cent annually, and
a real effort is going to be made to
retain this provision. The House COM
mittee, however, voted to report the
House bill without this amendment,
and members from the prairie states
met this morning in an effort to devise
means of getting a vote upon the
Wheeler amendment and the Senate
bill which embodies it. Since the
! fight will be made Monday in the
| House under suspension of rules which
permits no amendments and only forty
minutes of debate-their strategy will
consist in trying to defeat to motion to
suspend, and throw the matter back
| into the committee so that a later eff
fort can be made to secure straight
out vote. If that can be obtained
supporters of the amendment feel they
have the necessary strength to put il
across.
In an unofficial meeting, some OF
the prairie state members voiced the
fear that reducing interest on these
loans might tend to injure the fight
that is being waged for the Frazier
refinancing bill, but the preponderan
feeling was that no such fear need be
entertained. The Frazier bill, Incl
dentally, within a few days will bt
pressed via the petition route, ant
with legislatures of 25 states now
memorializing Congress for its pas
sage, the necessary names should no
be difficult to obtain in order to dis
charge the unfriendly committee.