The Coolidge examiner., 1939-04-06
GAS it Appears To
Your Congressman"
By John r. Murdoch


appropriation bill passed the House
on Tuesday, March %, with the
$250,000,000 for Parity Payment on
farm products left out. 1t was
evident that Northern Democratic
congressman from the Industrial
areas helped the Republicans de-
lete the item. | heard one promin-
ent New York Congressman say to
a leading member from an agri-
cultural district, Don't worry about
the s250,000,000 for the farmers,
as it will be put in later, particular
ly after we get the S150,000,00O for
WPA". This isn't my notion of
proper legislative procedure, but it
is indicative of something that
happened.
The WPA appropriation supple
menting the one made earlier this
session came to vote Friday,
March 81, with 500, 900, 900 writ
ten in the bill by subcommittee
instead of $150,000,0O0 asked for
by the President. In this case again,
as in the case of the earlier WPA
measure in this session, the par
limentary situation was such that
those who wanted the S150,000, 900
couldn't get a roll call vote on that
particular point without a very
clumsy and risky procedure. There
for there was no record vote last
week squarely on the issue whether
Congress should appropriate the
$3.50, 100000 asked for by the Presi-
dent. Two different amendments
were offered intending to raise the
amount of 500, 1000 as specified
in the bill and also two amendments
were offered, one by Republican
and one by a Democrat, intending
to lower the amount below the
500, 100000 in the bill. All four OF
these amendments were voted down
and the bill was passed providing
for the s1oO,00O,OOO for WPA until
July l.
Several farm organizations have
written me regarding the method
of making the 1910 acreage allot-
ments, since the present law In one
important particular applies only to
1898 and 1899. Senator Hatch has
introduced S 1869 which would ex-
tend the present act in this respect
two more years. This proposed
amendment has the sanction or
Marvin Jones and also the ap-
prevail of Secretary Wallace. | feel
that it is likely to be enacted at
this session If this is done it will
afford little certainty to the
farmers amid so much uncertainty.
Within the last few days promin-
ent citizens of Maricopa county
have requested aid from Washing
ton in development work in
Superstition Mountains, particular
" the building of roads and trails
to make them accessible. The first
inquiry we made brought out the
information that the entire region
of $4,000 acres had been set aside
as a Wilderness Area so that its
original aspect may remain I'M
changed. That would preclude the
building of roads within the ter
! ritory thus set aside. Frequently /
note the clashing views of two
different schools of thought with
respect to what is desirable treat
ment of some portions of our
federally owned lands in the West.
J This is not a move on my part, as
am not sure how the Superstition
Mountain region can best serve US.
For some time the owners Of the
Tonic Natural Bridge near Payson
have been willing to dispose OF
:, that property, wishing to give the
! United States Park Service first
opportunity to acquire it. For over
a year l have resisted a request to
introduce a bill providing for its
purchase by the government. A
few days ago l did introduce such
bill, after getting approval from
ella County. 1t is too early 70
predict the outcome of this pro-
posed legislation.