Evening star., 1942-09-28
Administration
.F|at|y Rejects
Farm Bloc Offer
Will Fight Out Pority
Issue on Bosis of
Thomus-Hutch PIons
BY the Associated Press.


Farm State Senators offered
compromise today of their de-
mands for higher farm prices in
the anti-inf1ation bill, but ad-
ministration leaders fatty re-
iected it.
Senator Brown, Democrat. OF
Michigan, said he and other admin
istration leaders had turned down
proposal offered by Senate Ag-
riculture subcommittee which Sem
ator Brown contended would have
introduced cost of production fac
tors into the fixing of agricultural
prices.
Senator Brown announced the ad-
ministration planned to permit an
original proposal by r Senators
Thomas, Democrat, of Oklahoma,
and Hatch, Democrat, of New Mex
lco to come to a vote TODAY and
then attempt to substitute a similar
administration compromise offered
by Majority Leader Barkley.
Deadline Extended.
Earlier, President Roosevelt was
reported to have agreed to delay
any move to control the cost of liv-
ing until Congress completes action
on this bill, even if it does not reach
him by his October | deadline.
Senator Thomas had indicated his
readiness to abandon his amend
ment, which would change the basis
for computing parity standards by
loL
first time. If the new farm bloc pro-
posal proved acceptable to the adj
ministration.
The new proposal would have di-
rected the President to raise farm
price ceilings where they did not
reflect increased labor costs and
where they were too low to permit
reasonable profit" to farmers.
This plan varied only in details from
the Barkley amendment.
Senator Hatch, chairman of al,
Agriculture subcommittee which
drafted it, said the new proposals
rejection by Senator Brown and
others demonstrated to him that
the administration expects farmers
TO produce at less than the cost of
production"
Brown Opposed to Plan.
Senator Brown had told reporters
ne did not see how the counter
proposal could be accepted "as far
as am personally concerned"
It's better to fight it out on the
basis OF the Thomas Hatch amend
ment and the administration substi-
| tute," he said.
The President. in his you -do-it-
or-I-will message of September 7.
told Congress present controls would
not hold the cost of food and cloth.
ing down beyond October / and re-
/ quested action by that time. #
But Senator Brown told reporters
ne had been assured Mr.. Roosevelt
contemplated no immediate action
and would wait a reasonable length
OF time for Congress to finish it's
work on a measure directing that
prices, wages and salaries be stabil-
lied at September Is levels, so far
as practical.
No Solution of Production Seen.
With the farm bloc apparently on
the run IN the Senate after winning
an overwhelming victory in the
House, the National Farmers Union
asserted that "a change in the for.
mula for determining parity price
will not solve the production prob
lem and inclusion of wages in
parity calculations lis negligible,
In kilograms sent to members Of
the Senate, w. M. Thatcher, legis-
latlVe chairman for the organization,
suggested that Congress leave to the
President the matter of increasing
prices or higher ceilings for certain
commodities and other measures
necessary for full production by and
protection to agricultural produce
ers."
A cross-section report from Great
Plains and Corn Belt farmers, Mr..
thatcher said, indicated that parity
prices as now determined" are ade-
quate II sufficient farm labor is
assured and farmers have the pro-
lection Of such prices for a period of
years following the conclusion of the
war"
senator Brown said he hoped the
Dill might be passed, it's controver-,
slal features reconciled with those
OF the House version and legislative
acton completed by Thursday.
Before this could happen, however
the administration first had to make
good its claims of sufficient votes tn
See IMITATION, Page A-l2.5