Evening star., 1937-07-27
M'G|LL OUTLINES
NEW FARM BILL
Establishment of Parity In
come Necessary for
Prosperity, He Says.

sSSPNiISJ iIS SoJos
Legislation bringing greater pros
pertty to the Nations farmers will
mean comparable benefits to the con-
suners and the Nation as whole
Senator George McGill, Democrat, of
Kansas declared last night in an ad-
dress In the National Radio Forum.
Arranged by The Star, the forum
program was broadcast over Nation
wide network of the National Broad
Fasting Co.. 1t was heardl locally
through Station WMAL.
Senator McGill, in conjunction with
Senator Pope, Democrat, of Idaho. is
author of farm bill pending in the
eenate, their measure having the fol-
lowing four main objectives:
Parity prices to farmers for normal
supplies OF cotton. wheat, corn, rice
and tobacco; parity income in fixed
relationship to agricultural in
come; establishment of an ever-nor-
NAL granary, and conservation of soil
resources.
Text of Address.
The text of Senator McGills ad-
dress follows:
Permit me to express to The Wash
angton Star Radio Forum and the Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. my high ap-
probation of the opportunity afforded
me this evening to speak ON your pro-
gram.
Problems affecting American agri-
culture should be. and l believe are,
Of vital interest to ali Of our people
Agriculture is our basic industry and
the economic welfare of every citizen
regardless of vocation is affected by
the degree of prosperity enjoyed by the
tlllers of the soil. Due to the various
programs during the past four years,
following time when agriculture to
quite degree by reason of a large
surplusage had sunk to its lowest level
In the history of our country, the con-
dltion of the farmers, except probably
IN drought-stricken areas, has been
materially improved
1t Is a fact recognized by every fair
minded citizen that for many years
prior to the program carried forward
under the agricultural adjustment act,
American agriculture had been on an
economic decline. We had witnessed
the building of great surplusage, the
continual falling Of commodity prices,
the weakening thereby of industry,
business and of our financial institu-
tario Lo
purchasing power of labor and in
dustry for the products of the farm
and deprecated in value the products
o. the farm In comparison to their
excha nee value for other commodities
and thereby seriously affected the or
oerly exchange OF commodities.
The varied adjustment and soil
conservation programs comparatively
carried on with the farmers have been
for the purpose. first, of reducing and
disposing Of the previously accumu-
lated unstable surplus of farm COM
modltles; second, to enable the farmer
to attain a reasonable return for his
labor and on his investment. and
third. to conserve the soil not only to
this generation but to generations to
come.
The programs referred to were spon-
eored by many OF the farm oreaniza-
uon groups, and that such programs
have been OF material value is evil
denced by the facts. In 1892 the
gross income from American agricul-
t'ral production WAS s5.337 900, ,0OO-
the lowest it had been when we con-
slider the acreage under cultivation.
In 1888 the gross income from agri-
cultural production was s6.406. 900. 900.
In 1884 it was s7.276 900 900, In
1885 It was $500 900, 900. In 1885
= is estimated this income was So
o3o,ooO.o00, and doubtless will prove to
be much greater for the year 1887.
Surpluses Predicted.
A situation in all probability will
develop in the near future with which
many OF the members of the Congress
feel We should deal, or at least with
which We should be prepared to deal.
For instance, it Is estimated that this
years production of wheat is 24O.-
oOO,0 bushels more than will be our
domestic consumption. From the ex-
perlence Of the last several wears if
would appear we will not be able to
dispose Of more than from $4,000 900
% 4O,000,000 bushels in export mar
sets. This would mean at the end of
ehls year We would have a surplus in
that commodity of 2O00OO,OOO bushels.
II q like surplus should occur next
gear We would have the same problem
confronting us We had in 1892, when
the surplus was 100000 bushels.
Depressed prices would almost in
svitably result.
Due to the decision of the Supreme
Court OF the United States the apri-
cultural adjustment act, of course. is
no longer in operation, and in nv
judgment the provisions of the soil
conservation act are inadequate for
the farmers to deal successfully with
such a situation as I have described
With this situation confronting the
farmers OF America, the Junior Sena-
tor from Idaho. Mr.. Pope, and 1 on
the 18th Of this month Jointly in
troduced in the Senate Of the United
states a measure looking to the
enactment of necessary laws to deal
with An anticipated surplusage and
thereby provide for a program to
insure complete rehabilitation of
American agriculture The bill has
been introduced in the hope of at
tracing the members of Congress to a
serious study of the problem and with
Che further hope of resultant adequate
legislation. The bill in its entirety
cannot be dealt with within the allotted
time provided so generously on this
broadcast, but shall attempt at least
10 explain it in general terms.
The bill contains four major objec-
lives.
The first Is parity prices to farmers
for normal supplies OF the five ma jor
hgricultural commodities - cotton,
wheat, corn, rice and tobacco. Parity
prices are those which would give these
k1a ioT agricultural commodities at all