Evening star., 1937-12-10

BY the Associated Press.
House chieftains, openly confident
OF victory, held their forces in line for
a final vote late today on the long
debated crop control program.
They expected not only to pass the
bill by a comfortable margin, but to
reinstate compulsory marketing quotas
on wheat, leaving the measure in sub
stantially the form drafted by the
Agriculture Committee.
New delays in Senate debate, how
ever, created doubts that the farm
legislation could be enacted during
the special session. Senate leaders
virtually gave up hope of a vote this
week.
Before the final House roll call.
Chairman Jones of the Agriculture
Committee granted two hours of de-
bate on a substitute bill to guarantee
each farmer cash income equal to
his cost of production.
The substitute, offered by Repre-
sentative Massingale, Democrat, of
Oklahoma, would forbid purchases of
farm commodities at less than the
amount required to produce them.
Even its supporters had little hope Of
success.
The administration program would
seek to regulate the size Of ma for
crops by restricting the amount mar
keted. A majority of farmers rece,v-
ing Federal payments for their CO.
operation would have to approve the
restrictions.
The tentative decision Of the House
early this week to eliminate wheat
marketing quotas was one of two prin-
cipal changes made in the bill during
debate. The other would deny soil
conservation payments to farmers who
planted dairy feed crops on acreage
withdrawn from soil-depleting crops.
Only a fraction of the members
voted originally on those two amend
ments, and leaders expressed certainty
another palloting would reject them.
The House yesterday defeated, 99-93,
a proposal by Representative Coffee.
Democrat, of Nebraska to eliminate
corn marketing quotas. 1t also turned
down an amendment by Representa-
tISe Lucas, Democrat. of Illinois to
lower from 2.9OO,0 100000 to $500, O,0OO.-
900 bushels the levels at which the
quotas would become effective.
Senate debate was slowed yesterday
by long discussion on the farm bills
tobacco sections, which had been ex-
pected to produce little argument.
Democratic Leader Barkley said he
hoped to get final vote by Monday or
Tuesday. Senator Copeland, Demo-
crat, of New York, an opponent of the
measure, commented:
Il know the ways are creased, and
there isn't any doubt about this bill
passing
A vote early next week, however,
would leave only a week before
adjournment during which a Joint
Senate House committee could settle
conflicts between the two measures.
Since the bills are vastly different in
detail, the committee will have a big
job to draft compromise version for
President Roosevelt's signature.
House approval of the farm bill
would clear the decks for next week S
scrap on the wage-hour measure-the
second major point on the President s
special session program.
Democratic leaders we're trying to
work out an agreement between
Northern and Southern members to
develop a more united front against
Republican opposition.
The third measure which leaders
still hoped to pass before Christmas
the housing bill-was being considered
by House and Senate committees. Ar
rangements were progressing to put
it through the Senate quickly, but con-
f1ict over details clouded its prospects
in the House.