Evening star., 1937-12-03
bORAH LAMbASTS
SENATEFARM BILL
|NF|ERY ADDRESS
Declares Measure Would
Punish AgricuIturists Re.
fusing to Sign Contracts.
REDUCTION PHILOSOPHY
CALLED HOOVER'S IDEA
Democrats Advised to Get Back
to Platform-Vast Power
for Wallace Opposed.
By the Associa ted Press.

By the Associated Press.
Senator Borah. Republican. of
Idaho criticized the Senate Farm bill
today, saying it would impose pun
ishment" on farmers who failed to
sign adjustment contracts.
Senator Borah told his colleagues
the measure would provide complete
bureaucratic control over the farmer
and would entail "the reduction of
crops at time when there are mil
lions of hungry and reedy persons in
the country"
While the Idahoan was speaking,
House leaders abandoned plans to
complete House consideration of its
farm bill by tomorrow night.
The House will not meet tomorrow
as planned. Chairman Jones of the
Agriculture Committee said he ex-
pected debate to continue "at least
three or four days more"
Earlier Mr.. Jones had forecast
compromise on an amendment de-
signed to assure dairymen that the
administrators farm program would
not increase their competition.
Approved Tentatively.
The amendment, offered by Repre-
sentative Boilau, progressive, OF Wis
consin, was approved tentatively yes
terday, ia to 95. despite administra-
ton objections that such proposals
imperiled the entire program.
Taking the floor to detail his criti-
cisms of the Senate bill, Senator
Borah asserted:
I'VE are not dealing with an emer-
permanent legislation. consider
that much might be done to meet an
emergency which might be unwise.
or even disastrous, as a permanent
policy"
Soil Conservation Payments.
Senator Borah struck particularly
at provisions of the measure which
he said would withdraw soil conser-
vation payments and commodity loans
from those farmers who failed to CO.
operate with the new program.
This bill will Immediately subject
those who fail to sign contracts to
the disfavor of the Government" he
said. Il say 1t is punishment-a
distinct punishment-to withdraw soil
conservation payments and loans from
farmers If they do not contract under
the new program
Senators Ellender. Democrat, of
Louisiana. and McGill, Democrat. of
Kansas, contended that the farmer
already was required to comply with
land use requirements to obtain soil
conservation payments, and would
therefore be under no additional COM
pulsion.
ITS contrary to public interest"
Senator Borah insisted. You're 60
ing to use it as club to drive the
farmer into this program" He said
the Senate bill amounts to Govern
ment "blackmail" of farmers who do
not comply with the projected agri-
cultural control program.
His voice booming up to frequent
crescendos, Senator Borah shouted:
Crop control and the philosophy
of reduction in the midst of plenty
originated in the previous admins
tration.
Calls Hoover Author.
Mr.. Hoover was the author of that,
He was the first man in the history of
the United States-in the history of
the world-to propose scarcity as a
cure for economic ills.
If there is any glory in this phil
osophy which We now are enacting
into law, that glory must be shared
with the previous President of the
United States"
Senator Borah paused frequently to
permit Agriculture Committee mem
bers to defend provisions of the bill
But he re-emphasized his objections
each time.
Reading from the Republican and
Democratic platforms of 1882, the
Idahoan quoted the latter as criticizing
the unsound policy of restricting agri-
cultural production"
Get Back to Platform.
Let the Democrats get back to
their platform" he roared, jerking
on his glasses and waving his arms.
We are facing a winter in which
literally millions of people will be
without sufficient food. We are facing
a winter in which millions of children
VIII be Kept out of school because they
do not have sufficient food and clothes.
And the best we can do is fix up
this bill which will restrict agricultural
production while so per cent of the
people do not have all they need to
eat
Hitting at provisions which would
permit the Secretary of Agriculture to
allot production acreage, Senator
Borah asserted this would permit the
Secretary to control and direct the
farmer"
Senator Ellender protested that the
Secretary merely would have general
control over acreage allotrnerts and