The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1938-03-03

iii Entered Is SeCOn0 CLASS m8CCefs
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
my feeling about this bill Is that
from the standpoint of Ineligible
legislation 1t is the most completely
conglomerate mess of involved lang
uage which was ever perpetrated
upon a free people" Thus did Sem
ator Arthur vandenburg, most de-
pendable spokesman for the minor
ity party on Capitol Hill, express his
opinion of the new farm bill. Mr..
Vandenberg was more biting than
most-but it is a matter of record
that the bill has few real friends.
Attitude of many Of those who vot-
ed for it is probably neatly reflect
ed in George Norris observation
that perhaps it will not workout
what will work?"
It is impossible to adequately
brief the bill in short space it
consumed 104 pages Of print in its
final, approved form. Briefly, it at
tempts to include in one measure
three previously tried farm-aid leg
islative theories-voluntary crop
control, as provided for in the orig
inal AAA law; compulsory crop
control, as provided for in the Cot
ton and Tobacco Acts, and the vol
untary reduction of soil-depleting
acreage, which was the purpose be-
hind the Soil Conservation Act.
It seems q dead certainty that
there is going to be q lot Of Ntiga-
ton In the courts before the mean
ing Of some of the more involved
clauses is made clear. However,
one thing Is plain-the bill Is de-
signed to extend sweeping govern
mental regulation and control over
production and prices of the four
principal farm crops wheat, cotton,
corn and tobacco. The Secretary Of
Agriculture Is authorized to estab-
lish a national acreage allotment
for each crop; to allow cooperating
farmers loans ON crops whenever
prices fall below the parity level;
and, under certain restrictions, to
establish compulsory marketing
quotas, whenever the national sup
ply Of any crop exceeds specified
level. #
To say that the law starts its ca
reer under q cloud Is simply to state
q fact. It was received very coolly
by almost. all farm organizations,
and q number Of oranges went on
record in flat opposition. Its con-
stitutionality is far from sure. The
overwhelming majority Of econo-
mists regard it as something Of q
monstrosity. Even its sponsors, with
few exceptions, are unenthusiastic
the bill is frankly q compromise.
designed to achieve the next-to-im-
possible task Of reconciling bitterly
opposed interests and views in q
single act. It was not adequately de-
bated In the House, large number
Of members, when the time came to
vote, had not even seen q copy of
the text. the supply being made
quate. And it passed the Senate, Sc
to 81, after only three days of con-
on the floor.
Thus came into existence the first
major law of the second regular ses-
sion of the current Congress. The
session has been distinguished by
great deal of talk, and little accom-
plishment. It spent weeks on the
doomed anti-lynching bill, and is
far behind in its calendar. The
chance of the Congress. especially
the Senate, getting together" Is
still poor. Majority leader Barley
has an unenviable job these days
the revolters in his ranks against
White House domination steadily
increase in number, even though
much of the dissent and acrimony is
kept quiet, and out Of the public
prints. The President Is keeping
to more or less "hands-off" policy
in his relation with the lawmakers.
The big thing in the minds of all
the Congressman these days is
whether or not the people still sub
scribe to the doctrines and policies
OF the New Deal. Until that ques-
ton Is answered by votes, in the
November elections. fence-sitting
will be the order of the day.
A BETTER START -e
Insofar as the elements are con-
cerned, the present year got away