Milford chronicle., 1938-03-25
ECONOMIC HIGHLiGHTS
HAPPENINGS THAT AFFECT THE DIEEER
PhILs, DIVIDEND CHECKS AND Tax
"a BILLS oE EVERY INDIVIDUAL o..
National and IHfFrAafioHai Problems
iHJePara6Ie from Local WSifars

/.
30, iHJePard6Ie from Local WFifaTs
llf,af.e .Atr+-
MY feeling about this bill is that
from the standpoint of ineligible
legislation il is the most completely
c0nglOmerate mess of involved Ian
guage which was ever perpetrated
upon free people" Thus did Sena-
tor Arthur Vandenberg, 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
mUst-but il is a matter of record
that the bill has few real friends.
Attitude of many of those who voted
for it Is probably neatly reflected in
George Norris observation that
perhaps II will not workout what
will wOrk?''s N.. $50
II is impossible to adequately brief
the bill in a short space-it con-
sumed l04 pages of print in its final.
approved form. Briefly, it attempts
to include in one measure three pre-
viOusly tried farm-aid legislative the
Ories-voluntary crop control, as
provided for in the original AAA
law; compulsory crop control. as
provided for in the Cotton and To-
baccO Acts. and the voluntary re-
duction of soil-depleting acreage. /
which was the purpose behind the /
Soil Conservation Act.
1t seems a dead certainty that |
there is going to be a lot of litiga- /
tiOn in the courts before the mean
ing of some of the more involved /
clauses is made legally clear. How
ever. one thing is plain-the bill is
designed 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 national acreage allotment for
each crop; to allow cooperating farm
ers loans on crops whenever prices
fall below the parity level; and. un-
der certain restrictions. to establish
marketing quotas. when
ever the national supply Of any crop
exceeds a specified level.
To say that the law starts its car
eer under a cloud is simply to state
a fact. 1t was received very cOOliy
by almost all farm organizations. and
a number of oranges went on record
in fat opposition. Its constitutional
ity is far from sure. The Overwhelm-
ing ma aiOrity of economists regard IL
as something of a mOnstrOsity. Even
its sponsors. with few exceptions. are
nenthusiastic-th bill is frankly
designed TO achieve the
Of IL
ing bitterly opposed interests and
views in single act. II was not
debated in the HOuse-a
large number of members, when the
time came to vote. had not even
seen a copy OF the text. the supply
being inadequate. And it passed the
Senate. Sc to 81. after only three
days of consideration on the floor.
Thus came into existence the first
ma jor law of the second regular ses-
sion of the current Congress. The
session has been distinguished by a
great deal of talk, and little accom-
Dlishment 1t spent weeks on the
doomed anti-lynching bill. and is far
behind in its calendar The chance
If the Congress. especially the Sen
tic. getting together" is still poor.
leader Barkley has an unen-
liable job these days-the revOlters
II his ranks against White House
domination steadily increase in num-
er. even though much of the dis
ent and acrimOny is kept quiet. and
nut of the public prints. The presi-
ent is keeping to more or less
hands-Off' policy in his relation
nth the lawmakers. The big thing
n the minds of all the congressman
hese days is whether or not the
eople still subscribe to the doc
rines and policies of the New Deal.
Tntil that question is answered by
otes. in the November elections.
ence-sitting will be the order Of the
ay.
Hitler's speech of February goth
q which he served notice on the
'Orld. especially England. that he