Evening star., 1941-04-02
Senate Leaders BaIk
Al Slash in Farm
Parity Payments
Agreement Sought To-day
On s4,3es, 100000
Defense Measure
B, the Associated Press.

Bs the Associated Press.
The Senate leadership, ready for
a vote on the record breaking ST.
$4,000 900 agriculture appropriation
bill, turned a deaf ear today to a
bipartisan demand that farm "pari-
ty payments" be trimmed to the
House-approved level to s212 900 900.
Senate Majority Leader Barkley
said he would vote to have the bill
carry the proposed increased fund
of s450,000,000, from which pro-
ducers of five major crops would
be paid benefits designed to bring
their receipts nearer l909-14 price
levels.
Minority Leader McNary also was
expected to back the increase, which
already has received widespread
pledges of support.
Nevertheless, Senators Byrd, Dem
ocrat, of Virginia, and Taft, Re-
publican, of Ohio, said they would
seek retention of the lower, House.
approved figure on the grounds that
President Roosevelt had advocated
reduction of non-defense expendi-
lures.
Senator Byrd told newsmen that
passage of the bill in its present
form would mean an increase of
more than $500,000,000 in nom
defense spending over last year.
Farley on Defense Bill.
While the fam bill held the
Senate floor and the House worked
on legislation of a secondary char
acter, a Joint conference committee
arranged to meet during the after
noon for an attempt to iron out
Senate and House differences in a
81 1893 ,000,0 900 supplemental defense
appropriations bill.
Argentine canned beef was the
symbol of one of the major points
at issue-just what sort of a buy
American" provision should be in
cluded in the bill to govern Army
and Navy purchases of food and
clothing. The administration IA
vors purchase of the Argentine beef
to promote the good neighbor"
policy. but has been forbidden by
legislation.
The Senate agreed to comprom-
Use on the subject OF foreign pur-
chases yesterday, after receiving
assurances that purchases of Argen-
tine canned beef would not exceed
20 1000 900 pounds in the next year.
1t adopted an amendment by
Senator Adams, Democrat, of Colo
RADIO, providing that such purchases
could be made only when United
States products of satisfactory quail
ity were not available at a reason
able price.
Sponsors said such a provision
would not interfere with plans to
buy Argentine beef and wool from
Australia and administration lead
ers. who had been hostile, withdrew
their objections. Senator Barklev
predicted acceptance of the Senate
amendment by the conference
group, although the House twics
has voted fiat prohibitions against
foreign purchases.
Hull Stresses Good Neighbor Policy
Secretary Hull declared yesterday
that a prohibition against the Army
or Navy purchasing foreign food
stuffs and clothing would be detri-
mental to the United States good
neighbor" policy and weaken in.
ter-American relations.
In letter to Senator Van Nuys
Democrat, of Indiana, Mr.. Hull
said enactment of legislation OF
this character cannot but have q
most unfortunate effect upon pub
lie opinion in the other American
republics, at the very time when ii
Is so important that inter-American
relations should be of a most friendly
character"
Adding a total of $315 GIL 900 te
the House-approved defense ap-
preparations bill, the Senate in
cluded funds to step up the Arny's
pilot-training program to the point
where it would be producing 10000
combate flyers yearly in 1912.
The measure would provide funds
for the purchase of ALSO medium
and heavy bombers, as well as 10, 100;
additional motor vehicles for the
Army.
Included also was 971,769,1l4 tt
obtain Critical" equipment for the
Army. $s28, ,2S6, 900 for industrial
plant expansion and s87,825, 900 tc
improve Atlantic bases recently &C
quired from the British.
The Navy would get $295, ,4l6 800
including $133, 3,118,82O for ordnance
SIS, ,000, 900 for reserve materials ano
$50, ,000, 900 for II auxiliary vessels.