Evening star., 1942-03-01
Farm Bloc 10 Garry
Parity Prices Fight
To White House
Senute Subcommittee
Picked to Confer With
President Tomorrow
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

BY GOULD LINCOLN.
The farm bloc in Senate and
House yesterday determined to
continue a vigorous fight to OBJ
tain parity prices" for farmers,
Notwithstanding opposition of
the Administration. -
A subcommittee Of seven men,
bers of the Senate has been ap-
pointed to call on the President and
discuss the matter with him tomor-
row. Until that conference has been
had, Anal determination regarding
the offering of q farm parity price
amendment to the $32 2,o0O, 900 900
national defense bill now pending in
the Senate will not be made, 1t was
said 4.
Those who will call on the Presi-
dent are Senator Bankhead, Demo-
crat, of Alabama, chairman of the
group, and Senators Gillette of
Iowa, Ellender of Louisiana, Lucas
of Illinois and Thomas of Oklahoma,
Democrats, and Senators McNary of
Oregon and Aiken of Vermont, Re-
publicans. :.
Farm States Aroused.
The representatives of agricultural
States are incensed because of the
attitude Of the administration to-
ward the farmers, which they say is
vastly different from its attitude
toward industrial labor. They are
incensed, too. because the admins
tration has proceeded to deal with
farm prices in opposition to the
expressed determination Of Con-
gress as contained in the Price Con-
troll Act, which undertook to bring
prices of farm commodities to parity
The administrations purpose, 1t is
explained, Is to give the farmers
'parity income"-not through parity
prices in the market, but through
granting subsidies to the farmers
out of the Federal Treasury.
parity is the purchasing
power OF q farm product during
specified period, generally 1907
14)
Senator Thomas, Democrat, OF
Oklahoma, set forth the attitude
Of his colleagues in the farm bloc
yesterday when he said he saw no
reason why the Government should
appropriate approximately $675 5,00O,-
000-which will come out of the
pockets of all the people in the form
of ,taxes-to make subsidy payments
to the farmers, when the money is
so vitality needed for ward expendi-
lures.
Urges Policy Be Clarified.
THE farm parity price issue in
wolves fundamental governmental
policy and should be clarified"
said Senator Thomas.
AL agree that farm prices should
be on parity with industrial prices. |
The Agricultural Department /
wants to keep number of farm
prices substantially below parity and |
then make up the difference by
subsidies or so-called benefit pay
ments direct from the Treasury.
To cover such subsidies the
budget recommends
{ cd An appropriation Of $780,
100000 to meet the so-called do
mestic allotment payments, and.
"t2) Contract authority to obli-
gate the Treasury to an indefinite
sum for so-called parity payments.
Should the parity payments
equal those appropriated for the
194l crops, then the sum of S212,-
100000 will be necessary for the
1912 crops.
I'm addition to the 1862 900 900
necessary to meet subsidy or benefit
payments, the departments policy
will require the services of few
thousand employees to administer
the program and such administra-
ton will cost some SIS 100000 ad-
ditional, so that the total so-called
benefit program calls for a direct
appropriation from the Federal
Treasury in a sum of approximately
e675 5,000, 900.
There Is no reason for such ap-
preparations of public funds when.
If the markets were allowed to take
care Of themselves. the farmers
would receive parity payments for
their crops"
Senator, Thomas added that the
farmers would prefer to have their
income come from the parity prices
received for their crops than to
have q subsidy from the Govern
ment.
Bill Passed by Senate.
The Senate by vote Of so to %
passed last week the bill which
would prevent the administration
from selling the surplus farm COM
modities at prices below parity.
That measure had been reported
unanimously by the Committee on
Agriculture.
In addition, the Senate Commit
tee on Appropriations unanimously
authorized Senator Bankhead to
offer an amendment to a $4,000
OOO,0 900 war appropriation bill which
would prevent the purchase of farm
commodities at prices below parity.
The bill carries a large sum,