The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-14
SOIL EROSION
PROGRAM HELD
FACE-SAVER
BY LEWIS HANEY
professor Of Economics, New
York University


On the eve Of a momentous
election campaign, the Roose-
welt Administration has been
dealt another severe blow by the
Supreme Court. That body has
decided what. most thoughtful
people suspected, namely, that
the AAA set-up is unconstitu-
tionaI.
What will the politicians do
now?
~ Mr.. Roosevelt, as a
good citizen, can act accord
ing to the Constitution, which
he has sworn to obey, and
follow the Supreme Court.
(2) He can then, If he de-
Sires, proceed TO seek an
amendment to the COnstitu-
ton which will give whatever
bunch Of politicians may be in
power at Washington the au-
thOrity to control crop pro-
ductiOn, ETC., in the several
states.
81 Or he can proceed as a
bad citizen to try to beat the
game by subterfuge. He can
try to produce some scheme
by which he can for . while
do the very things which have
been declared unconstitutional.
I venture to predict that he
will not accept and follow the
decision Of our Supreme Court.
He wants to get reelected, and if
he were to admit that his MIRA
and AAA schemes had both been
illegal, he would stand before the
nation as one who had made
such great mistakes that his
judgment could not be trusted.
He won't do that.
I also predict that he will not
directly take a stand on changing
the Constitution so as to legalize
the power he wants to exercise.
He wants to be reelected, and his
political scouts must have told
him that most of the people are
still for the Constitution.
Therefore, I predict that he
will seek, by Subterfuge to put
through this session Of Congress
q new sort Of AAA measure that
will not be essentially different
from the old. Thus he will seem
to "save his face"-he will not
admit his defeat. He will continue
the Government spending and
crop control folly, thus maintain
ing the bureaucracy and winning
the more short-sighted farm vote.
A supine partisan Congress will
pass his new bill. and it can't be
declared unconstitutional until
after election!
Here is what he is preparing
to do:
First, he will pay out over
$50 million dollars in farm doles
under the old unconstitutional
act, on the ground that his Ad-
ministration is morally obi
gated" to do so. That will keep
the farm dole checks going out.
Second, he will propose and
Congress will pass a new crop
control act under the fake slogan
of save the SOIL" Instead of
emphasizing an emergency" and
the idea of establishing higher
farm prices, he will play up soil
conservation.
What will be the difference?
Well, it is about like the drunkard
who, when he finds he can't get
his booze for the purpose of get
ting intoxicated, proceeds to get
some patent medicine (of high
alcoholic content) "for his
stomach'S sake"
The new bill is to be for "the
general welfare" When the farm
ers cut their acreage or kill their
pigs now, it is to be for the pur-
pose of conserving the soil!"
There will be much bunk about
soil erosion, diversification, and
Submarginal land.
But the gist of it is that acre
age is to be controlled at the
will of the Federal politicians
and Federal funds are to be
doled out to farmers. The
soil conservation" label makes
no difference. If a farmer cuts
his acreage in view of Federal
bonus, it is rank hypocrisy to
say he does it to conserve his
soil.
Mr.. Roosevelt says we must
avoid shipping our soil fertility
to foreign nations" That is the
same as saying we must avoid
shipping any crops. All crops
come from the soil.
As to alleged "sub-marginal'
land, I ask, how is it going to
conserve fertility to work our
most fertile lands harder?
Despite all the sophistry. saw
ing the soil means in this case
nothing but curtailing produc'
ton. Rentals" for conserving
the soil will be Federal bonuses
for crop control. RECOMMENDATION
of business by a Federal bu
reaucracy is unconstitutional un
der any name.
Two sure things are these
There is going to be no short
rountihe sessions of Congress
but one full Of important legis
lative issues. And there is go
ing to hA no balanced budget