Evening star., 1939-03-26
HouseWrang|es
5Hours in Vain
On Parity Funds
Chamber Adjourns
To 'Sove Bill for
The Farmers

uSb
The Farmers
BACKGROUND
Until the House Appropriations
Committee last week approved
an Agriculture Department ap-
preparation bill Which ,Dds con-
Stderobly larger than asked by
the President, the economy bloc
IN Congress had been consistent
ly successful this session. Nou 1t
faces a coalition of city and farm
members frankly engaged In
"Iog-rolling" Dotes for parity pau-
ments to farmers and increased
funds for the w. P. A.
By the Associated Press.
Split into wrangling blocs over the
81 .067 100000 Agricultural Depart
ment bill, the House engaged in tu-
multous debate for five hours YES
terday, then adjourned for the week
end without settling the major point
OF controversy-whether to vote
s25o,o00,0OO in parity payments for
farmers.
Leaders sought to hold the mem
bers In session so as to pass the huge
supply measure last night, but fin-
ally capitulated to rising sentiment
for adjournment.
Representative Anderson, Demo-
crat, Of Missouri, who offered the
motion to adjourn. said he did 1t to
save the bill for the farmers"
The Republicans were in there
butchering the bill," he said, "and
there weren't enough Democrats on
hand to stop it.
Furthermore, Representative Mar
cantonio intended to ask for the
reading of an engrossed copy of the
Dill which would have held us in
session until midnight"
No Changes Seen.
When the House quit, it was about
10 oegln direct consideration of the
parity payments section. There. was
possibility that this would not be
resumed until Tuesday because of
tne preferred status of District leeis-
latlon which is to come up to-
morrow.
Representative Cannon, Democrat
OF Missouri, in charge of the bill on
the floor, predicted it eventually
would go through in much the same
form as his subcommittee recon-
mended, including the $3.50 900 900
Tor parity payments.
we won't have any trouble" he
said. We've just been delayed a
day or so. that's all" =
Two groups Of farm members were
split over q proposal to boost the
parity item to- $500, ,000, 900 because.
IN recommending even half that
sum, the Appropriations Committee
Ignored President Roosevelt's request
Tor 80 per cent reduction in benefit
payments to farmers.
Behind the scenes an active bloc
OF urban members was jockeying
for support from the farm group
Tor the pending request for $780,
100000 additional for w. P. A., in
return for support for the $780,
1000 parity fund.
| Irrelevant Squabbles.
The parity fund was proposed in
addition to other farm benefits
totallng $500,000,000. It's sponsors
contended 1t was needed to bring
farm income to parity" with prices
OF things farmers buy.
The House debate often was heat
ed. Party lines were disregarded in
many instances and some of the
squabbles had little to do with
actual provisions in the bill.
Representative Lambertson. Re.
publican, of Kansas and Represents.
tive Otter, Republican, of Pennsyl.
vania. both members of the An.
preparations Committee, became in.
vowed In row because the latter
offered to withdraw a point of order
against a minor provision in the
bill If the Democrats would agree
to amend it.
I'D like to know who the devil
Is in charge of this BILL" Representa-
tive Lambertson shouted. He added
that he thought he and Representa-
tive Dirksen of Illinois were in
charge for the Republicans because
they were members of the Agricul.
ture Appropriations Subcommittee.
Democrats fought among them
selves over proposal by Representa-
tive kleberg, Democrat, of Texas to
add $460,0O0 to the fund for pink
oollworm control. 1t finally was de-
feated by 138-to-66 vote.
Georgian Retaliates.
After Republicans succeeded In
knocking out provisions for $780,
46O for Mexican fruit fly control and
$l3,485 for citrus canker eradication
on the ground the expenditures had
not been authorized, Representative
Tarver, Democrat. of Georgia
popped up with the announced in
tention Of putting the shoe on the
other foot" and raised point of
order against a 100000 item for
Dutch elm disease control.
Representative Tarver subse-
quently withdrew the point of order,
but Representative Lambertson
countered Immediately by raising
the same point and it was sus-
tanned, eliminating the fund. d"
Meanwhile, leaders of the oppos-
ing blocs concentrating on the
parity payments issue sought to
unite their forces.
Representative Tarver warned
that approval Of the proposal to
| increase the fund to $500 900 900
meant ultimate defeat for the pro-
gram.
He charged that Republicans in
tended to vote for the increase only
because they knew its adoption
would result in a parliamentary
situation which would make 1t i'm.
possible for the House to vote direct
ly on the $3.50 900 900 item. Then,
Mr.. Tarver explained, both Re-
publicans and conservative Demo-
Gratis would be forced to vote down
the entire $500 0.000, 900.
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