Evening star., 1938-02-15
FARM BILL AWAITS
PRESIDENTS 0. K.
Agriculture Officials Are Ju.
bilant, Lay Plans to
Begin Program.
d the Associa ted Press

! 61 the Associa ted Press
Agriculture Department oficials,
| jubilant over congressional approval
Of the crop c.ntrol bill. arranged to-
day to begin the new hslf-billion-
Roosevelt signs It,
More than $4,000 persons, they said,
will have part in carrying out pro-
visions Of the measure, which the
Senate passed late yesterday and sent
10 the White House.
These persons include more than
5000 employees Of the Agricultural ADJ
justment Administration and the
members Of some 1850 State and
county committees.
Two Republican SenatOrs-C -Capper
Of Kansas and Frazier of North Da-
kota-joined with So Democrats and
Senator Norris. independent, of Ne
braska in approving the measure. The
81 votes cast against it came from II
Democrats, IL Republicans, 2 Farmer
Iaborites and Senator La Toilette,
Progressive, Of wisconsin.
This is the best farm bill that has
ever been enacted by the Congress to
deal with great problem of American n
HE, said Democratic Leader Barkley
Of Kentucky.
Republican Leader McNary of Ore
gon. on the other hand, commented:
This bill does only one new thing
for farmers. 1t puts new restrictions
upon them and blankets them with
compulsion. 1t will make every farmer
a vaSsal Of the Secretary of Agricul-
ture."
May Limit Qua ntities.
The measure. written by a Senate
House committee from separate bills
passed in December by the two cham
oers. establishes q system under which
the Secretary Of Agriculture. working
with farmer committeeman. may pre-
scribe limitations on the quantity of
wheat, corn, cotton, rice and tobacco
grown or marketed
In general, 1t involves adjustment
Of production according to estimates
OF supply and demand. When supplies
are deemed too high. two-tiiirds Of the
farmers voting in referendum can
impose maketing restrictions on all
farmers. Penalties are provided for
non observance.
The hnal bill modified 4 provision
inserted by dairy and live stock blocs
TO protect their constituents against
new competition. Agriculture De-
partment officials said that despite the
change. widespread growth of COM
petition was unlikely.
Benefits to Continue.
The new program will be mace 10 fiji
in with reyisions put into the soil
conservation program last September.
Soil conservation benefits will con-
i tinue for minor crops and the cost Of
the JOINT program must be held to
available funds"--which have been
averaging about $500, 600 900 yearly.
Because of the nearness OF the crop
planting season in the South, first
endeavors under the new legislation
| will deal with cotton and fiue-cured
iobacco-the only two major crops
now burdened with excessive supplies.
Not until August, officials said will
it be possible to determine whether
marketing quotas are to be imposed
on corn. Acreage allotments. how
ever, will be made as soon as possible.
The measure provides that market
ing quotas shall not be applied 10
wheat and rice this season.
The bill requires that the cotton
quotas be ordered within 10 days and
the tobacco quotas within Is days
after the President signs the ieelSla-
ton.
keferends Provided Fer.
Establishment Of the quotas, which
would AK the amount individual srow-
ers could market free of penalties,
would be followed by referenda to de-
teimine whether the affected growers
approved them. The measure requires
that the cotton referendum be held
within 80 days and the tobacco refer
endum within IS days after anal en-
actment.
Ii approved. allotment OF acreage
goals 10 The States, counties aud In
divldual growers would follow.
Under marketing quotas. each co.,
ion grower would be limited to sale
of that commodity actually produced
on his, acreage allotment. unless lie
paid penalty tax of cents a pound
this year. Tobacco marketing quotas
would b. determined in terms Of
pounds.
MNk II