Evening star., 1942-09-24
Revolt in the House


The open break between the Presi-
dent and Congress which has resulted
from the House vote on the farm
parity question is a matter of gravest
concern.
What the House has done is to re-
write the parity formula to take into
account the cost OF farm 1abor-not
Just "hired" labor but even the labor
of the farmer, his wife and his chill
dren. This will have the effect OF
fofbidding the imposition of price
ceilings on farm products under 112.5
per cent of parity, which obviously
would result in a substantial increase
In the cost of living.
I The members voting for this provi-
Sion contended it was necessary to
insure an adequate supply of farm
labor and to protect the country
against serious food shortage next
year. The fact is, however, that the
action will not assure the farmer of
an adequate labor supply, nor does
1t assure the country of sufficiency
OF food. What it will do is raise the
cost Of living, provide the incentive
for renewed demands for higher in
dustrial wages and give an added and
probably disastrous twirl to the infla-
tionary spiral.
' This attitude on the part of the
House Is in defiance of the President
on two points. The first was his de-
mand for adequate" legislation to
lower the ban on farm price ceilings
to parity, or the highest price OF a
recent date. The second was the
announcement of his 'unalterable
opposition" to any revision of the
parity formula at this time.
Mr.. Roosevelt has served notice
that he will deal with the farm price
question by executive action should
Congress fail to meet his demands by
October l. That recourse remains
open to him, provided he is willing to
take. such step in the face of q
three-to-one vote against him in the
House ana = probable adverse vote
In the Senate. But, while such an
exercise OF his executive authority
might deal with the immediate prob
lem Of farm prices, it cannot be a
tolution to the basic farm problem.
|. The supply OF labor to work the
farms has been drawn OF by the
demands OF the military services and
BY the attraction Of higher wages
and shorter hours in the war indus
tries. The present situation, threat
ening to result in q breakdown Of
the normal relations between the
President and Congress, is the direct
result OF the attempt to deal with the
problem Of allocating manpower in
biecemeal fashion. When We needed
men for the Army, we took them
With little thought OF the conse-
auences to our food supply. When
We needed men in the munitions
factories, we got them by the ex-
pedient but short-sighted device OF
paying higher and higher wages.
And now we are reaping the in
evitable harvest The capacity of
the farms to produce their essential
products is breaking down, and the
problem Is crying for relief.
The question is how to approach
It's solution. Shall we attempt to
handle 1t by another stopgap device,
such as that proposed in the House?
Or shall we attempt to ignore it by
simply imposing arbitrary farm CELL
lngs, and nothing more? Obviously,
neither course runs to the heart of
the problem. What is needed, and
what we must have, is an intelligent
and comprehensive program for the
ALLEGATION Of manpower on a COM
pulsory basis, either by legislation
or executive action. When we make
up our minds to take that approach
TO the problem, we will cease to be
plagued by these constantly re-
curing crises. Until we take it. we
will have no alternative but to mud