The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-08-06
LEADERS PLEDGE
ACTION ON FARM
BILL IN JANUARY
President Hints Special
Session Unlikely
By WILLIAM K. HUTCHINSON

BY WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON
Q.N.S0.-President Roosevelt
inferred at his press conference
today that the special session Of
Congress for enactment Of farm
legislation, which yesterday seemed
inevitable for the fall, may be
avoided.
Congressional leaders mean.
while agreed to assure Mr.. RooSe-
welt farm legislation would be
given first place when Congress
reconveneS next January. These
assurances have not reached the
President, he said, but from
sources on Capitol Hill it appeared
they would go forward to the
White House speedily.
Expert Loan o. X.
- When these assurances reach
Mr.. Roosevelt, leaders were con-
fident he would approve COM
modify loans to "peg" the price
of cotton and other major prod
uctS.
Earlier he had indicated to his
leaders that unless farm legisla-
ton was enacted at the present
or q special session, or pledges
were given him that it would be
the first order Of business upon
reconvening of Congress in 1888,
he would not approve such loans.
Today the situation apparently
was Strengthening itself out in a
series Of conferences between
House and Senate leaders, House
and Senate cotton bloc members,
and the White House.
During the morning exchanges
of information between all these
points had not been completed,
but from the divergent sources it
appears that those involved had
eliminated differences.
Plans Short Session
From the House came word that
President Roosevelt intends to give
the next Congress little to do ex-
cepting enactment of farm legiS-
lation. Therefore, if pledges OF
speedy action on such a program
in January are handed the PreSi-
dent, it appeared Mr.. Roosevelt
would agree to approve the neceS-
sary commodity loans and allow
Congress to go home and stay
there until next January-when
the current sessions program Of
preferred" legislation is COM
pleted.
The decision of leaders to give a
public pledge to President Roose-
welt for consideration Of crop con-
troll legislation was announced at
a meeting Of the House cotton
bloc" by Representative Sam Ray
burn Of Texas, Democratic leader
of the House.
He said that Senator Barley
of Kentucky, Democratic leader
of the Senate; Senator Smith
CD of South Carolina, chairman
of the Senate Agriculture Commit
tee; Chairman Marvin Jones Cd
of Texas, of the House Agriculture
Committee, and himself would give
the pledges.
Loan Terms Told
President Roosevelt in a meet
ing with cotton bloc" leaders yes
terday told them that he would
approve price-pegging loans only
if Congress stayed in session to
pass an acreage-reduction bill,
agree to special session in Octo-
Der, or give him satisfactory
legislation would be put through
in January. Rayburn said:
"Mr. Jones and others on the
Agriculture Committee have, as
sured me they will work out
general farm legislation. We
have assured the President that
there will be a program, and
Speaker Bankhead and I have
said we would give it the right
of way in the House. We are
assured that this can be done
in January.
Senator Smith, with whom I
have talked, has assured the
President that there will be
program in January. I talked
to Senator Barley this morn
ing. He said that when the bill
is reported it will be the first
order of business in the Senate.
"The alternative proposition
Of the President concerning
pledges It is met"