Evening star., 1936-01-18

OF Nebraska. and Senator Pope, DEM
ocrat, Idaho, have joined hands in
conducting survey to see what senti-
ment there Is in Congress to bulwark
farm relief and other legislation
against blows from the courts.
On the second question, L. ]. Taber.
master of the National Grange, ad-
vanced the idea of impounding all
tariff receipts to obtain necessary
funds without new taxation.
Senator Pope said the proposed
plan to pay benefits to farmers to
diversity crops in such a way as to
prevent erosion. improve fertility and
keep production of major crops at a
desired level probably was unconst-
tutional in the light Of the Supreme
Courts ruling on A. A. A.
The Senator, expressing personal
approval of controlled production,
took the position that all possibility
OF the new farm program meeting A.
A. AS fate should be removed by a
law limiting the power of the courts.
He and Senator Norris conferred
yesterday on a proposed bill by Pope,
and the Idaho Senator said he 'ex-
pected to interview half a dozen Sem
ators today" He has a temporary
draft which may be amended later.
AS the bill stood today no act Of
Congress could be declared uncon-
stitutional except by more than two
thirds vote of the Supreme Court.
Pope suggested at least a seven-to-two
division of the nine members. A. A. A.
was invslidated by six-to-three vote.
Senator Norris had expressed views
somewhat similar to those of Pope a
few days before.
Constitution Problem.
Pope said:
The farm legislation now proposed
by the Government universally is
considered necessary to the imme-
diate emergency. but it is extremely
doubtful that it or any permanent
farm program to actually benefit
agriculture through regulation of
production after the manner in which
industry guages supply and demand
can be promulgated unless prohibi-
tory sections of the Constitution are
removed or the opportunity to test
the constitutionality of such an act
definitely circumscribed."
Late yesterday official announce
ment was made of admission of the
National Farmers Union to the agri-
cultural conference. Other member
organizations are: The American
Farm Bureau Federation, the National
Cooperative Council. the Farmers
National Grain Corp. and the Grange.
Formal announcement of the un-
animous approval was seen in some
quarters as the climax of an effort
by several leaders to present to Con-
gress united front behind the new
program.
Occupying a new and prominent
place in the conference report was a
recommendation for revision of the
monetary and credit systems Ito es-
tablish and maintain the dollar with
a constant purchasing power, preserv-
ing the equity of contracts between
debtor and creditor"
Coming from q conference session
where he and A. A. A. Administrator
Chester G. Davis were informed of the
action, Secretary Wallace said:
THE report of this conference Is
even more significant than that of
the conference of farm leaders here
last week"
The conference reported that I'VE
have neither inclination nor authority
to surrender or to compromise" these
principles:
1. The right of American farmers to
be given machinery to adjust supply
and demand. but safeguarding con-
sumner welfare and farmer control.
2. The right of the farmer to re-
ceive prices to give him an average
purchasing power equal to that he had
in 190914.