Evening star., 1942-10-26
Farm
Continued From First Page

calculating price ceilings. was
handed in after the bill passed
and was not delivered on the floor
of the Senate.
Chairman Smith added that it
had been handed in after the Sen
ate adjourned" Minority Leader
McNary pointed out that, in any
event, it was just one members
opinion and ought not to be binding
in Interpreting the act.
Chairman of Conferees.
Mr.. Byrnes said that added weight
must be given to 1t because Senator
Brown was chairman of the con-
ferees who adjusted Senate and
House differences in the bill.
When Senator Aiken repeated the
charge that it was "a deliberately
false Interpretation, inserted sur
reptitiously in the records" Mr..
Byrnes replied with some heat:
II think the Senator from Ver-
mont ought to say that in the pres
ence of the Senator from Michigan"
Senator Aiken replied that he and
others had urged Senator Brown to
correct the record and had arranged
a meeting with him to discuss the
matter, adding that Senator Brown
had not attended the meeting, but
had cleft to 60 campaigning in
Michigan"
Price Administrator Henderson de-
MED he had "indulged in deception
and falsehood" in establishing CELL
ings on agricultural commodities.
He said the 60-day ceilings re-
Gently fixed on eggs, chickens, but
ter, cheese, potatoes, flour and other
products included allowances for
Government benefit payments under
presidential directive, and declared:
Were such payments not taken
into account in fixing the minimum
ceiling prices, the inflationary i'm
petus that would result would en-
danger the entire price structure and
run squarely contrary" to congress
sional intent.
Working on New Ceilings.
Mr. Henderson said the 60-day
ceilings were fixed pending the
working out of actual dollar and
cents ceilings prices which we are
now in process of doing"
And" he added, Il would like to
state at this time that in working
out these prices we will continue to
take into consideration parity and
other benefit payments"
He said President Roosevelt had
made it clear this would be the
policy of the administration" in his
message to Congress September
and had re-emphasized the policy In
an order establishing the Office OF
Economic Sterilization.
In reply to repeated questioning
Mr.. Byrnes insisted that as an en-
ploye of the executive branch, he
was taking orders from the Presi-
dent" and was bound either to &C
cept the Presidents construction OF
the act, as expressed in the execu-
tive order, or ask for change In
the order.
Where is the provision in this
act" demanded Senator Wheeler
that gives you the authority to fix
any price below parity? If there is
point it out
Mr.. Byrnes cited provision of the
executive order directing that soil
conservation and other benefit pay
ments be taken into account in fix
Ing farm ceiling prices,
He said the order was based on
the Constitution and on laws. He
had no further information than
that and had not discussed that
point with the President, Mr.. Byrnes
said.
Declaring that it was the duty OF
the price administrator and the Sec
retary of Agriculture to fix farm
prices, Mr.. Byrnes insisted that he
had no duty to act unless there was
some dispute between the two. There
was no such dispute, he said.
II must maintain that position
despite the fact that many people
might like to have me pass on agri-
cultural prices"
His duty is to formulate general
policy to control prices. wages and
salaries and to put the brakes on
civilian purchasing power, Mr.
Byrnes said.
Senator Reed at one point accused
Mr.. Byrnes of 'evading" his ques-
tions. to which Mr.. Byrnes sharply
replied:
" never have evaded any issue. !
might not be be giving the answers
you want"
At another point. Mr.. Byrnes told
Senator Reed that If the existing
price control legislation wasn't what
he wanted you ought to change it
you'd do more good writing new
legislation than by investigating"
Senator Reed asserted the order