Evening star., 1936-01-06

the Government is subject to judicial
restraint, the only check upon our
own exercise of power is our own
sense of self-restraint.
Ballot Is Umpire.
For the removal of unwise laws
from the statute books. appeal lies not
to the courts, but to the ballot and to
the processes of democratic govern
ment.
20. The constitutional power Of
Congress to levy an excise tax upon
the processing of agricultural products
is not questioned.
The announced goal of the A. A. A.
had been to give farmers parity
prices for their products.
Parity prices were considered those
which would enable the farmers to
buy now the amount of manufac-
tured goods they could have bought
with the cash their crops brought in
on the average between 1909 and
1914.
Parity prices also were described as
the fair exchange value"
A recent A. A. A. compilation show
ed prices received by farmers for their
products was averaging 86 per cent of
parity. This was gain of 8 per cent
over the same date in 1884.
Some Exceed Parity.
The A. A. A. attempted, it was said,
to make benefit payments which, add
ed to the farm values for crops,
would give the farmers a parity price
income for their labors.
Recently, only two types of tobacco
and milk retailed directly by farmers
were above parity. Milk was rated at
ia per cent of parity; flue-cured to-
bacco. ia per cent and f1re-cured
tobacco, lit per cent.
Hogs, rated at los per cent in Octo-
Der. were "a per cent; cotton, IA per
cent; wheat, 80 per cent; corn, 10 per
cent, and rye, As per cent.
The court adjourned shortly after
1870 pm. until next Monday without
announcing decisions on T. v. A. and
the Bankhead cotton act. The rulings
may come a week hence or later.
Only today President Roosevelt in
formed Congress he was removing
A. A. A. from emergency" status TO
that of a regular Government activity.
In his budget he asked appropriation
of $499, 100000 to carry 1t through
the fiscal year beginning July /.
s1,127 ,O0O, 900 Paid Out.
Since May, 1888, over $1,127, ,000. 900
has been paid farmers for crop adjust
ments. The corn-hog program was
most expensive, amounting to $373.-
000, 1000.
Meat packers, wheat millers and cot
ton spinners paid in about two-thirds
Of the processing taxes. The last fig
ures showed hog levies collected were
s267, 7,216,306; cotton, $243,139,394, and
wheat, s247.228.745.
Sugar taxes were S8S,2O3 $50; tobac-
co. $59,389, ,032; jute and paper. sl2.-
1876, ,692; corn, $11 ,S56,473 peanuts, So
687 $50; rice, s153 ,975; rye, 81 ,266, and
$171,853
Cotton ginning taxes collected under
the Bankhead act were $1,158,651, and
tobacco sales taxes, collected under
the Kerr-Smith act, $3,516,991.
Officials estimated that over $780,
100000 in processing taxes now were
in the courts under in
functions granted since last Spring.
These funds now evidently will be re-
turned to those who sued.
Alters Ratio.
The momentous decision altered the
record Of the New Deal before the
highest tribunal.
N. r. A. lost out in the Spring
the oil-control section
Of the recovery act was invalidated
eight to one, the rail pension plan
failed by five to four, and the invali-
dation of the gold payment In pri-
vate contracts won only by the margin
Of one.
In addition. the Frazier-L -Lemke farm
mortgage moratorium - which the
President signed, although he had not
twas ruled against unan-
ALI nine justices held Mr..
Roosevelt went beyond the law In sum-
marily dismissing the late william
from the Trade Commits
;ion.
The news spread quickly about the
Senate chamber, coming during the
reading Of the Presidents budget
Message.
Wide grins appeared on the faces
If several Republican Senators and
yeneral conversation became SO wide
;pread on both sides that the Vice
President raped for order.
Senator McNary, the Republican
eader. planned soon to introduce . |