Evening star., 1942-09-29

ceiling on farm prices impossible.
But the administration had its
way thoroughly In the matter of
industrial wages. There was
nothing whatever in the bill to
deal with wages. Ever since
wages have gone on their way up.
They are still going up. If they
were frozen as of today-and the
farm prices were frozen, too-the
farmers would still be behind in
the procession which is making
for the increased cost of living.
So when the bill now pending
in the Senate to tackle further
the question of price control was
drafted the farmers insisted upon
getting better break for them
selves If they could. They have
been forced to pay excessively
high prices for farm labor-and
many of them have been unable
to get help at all. Either the
farm laborers were taken into the
military service or they hurried
away to industrial plants where
they could make three or four
times what they had been re-
ceiving on the farm.
The demand OF the President
Tor a law at the hands of Con-
gress to place ceiling on farm
products-While he made no such
demand for a law placing a CELL
ing on wages, although he as
serted that they would be "sta-
bilized'-left many members of
Congress and the farm organi-
cations dissatisfied and suspi-
cious. They saw no reason why
there should be law for the farm
ers and none for labor. They
and their friends in Congress set
to work, therefore, to write into
the bill a provision that would
give the farmer the right to have
the cost Of farm labor considered
IN arriving at the parity" price
OF his produce. They also wrote
into the bill provisions dealing
with wages. These provisions di-
rect the President to promul-
gate regulations controlling
wages.
The Deadline.
Further, the Senate, which is
now considering the bill, has be-
fore it provision directing the
President to issue a general order
stabilizing prices, wages and SAL
aries affecting the cost of living
"on or before November /. 1912"
In other words, a deadline is
set for the President-just as he
set deadline for Congress to act
by October /, 1912. The deadline
set for the President is just two
days before the elections.
The House has been denounced
widely because of it's action on
the farm price control bill. The
Senate is expected to act today,
Senator Thomas of Oklahoma
has offered an amendment di-
recting that in fixing parity prices
the cost Of farm labor must be
included. Well, the costs of farm
labor have increased greatly,
which would have the effect of
increasing the parity prices. 1t
has been shouted from the house
tops that to accept the House
version OF the bill or the Thomas
amendment would be increase
the food bill of the American peo-
pie by $4,000, 100000 a year. II it
does, the money would not 90 to
the farmer, or comparatively lit
tie of it would. The farmers feel
seriously the increases they must
pay for farm help. Hence the de-
mand.
The present struggle in Con-
gress between the President and
the legislative branch over farm
prices has been called an epic
struggle, upon the outcome OF
which may hinge the continuance
Of the American form OF govern
ment. The Chief Executive and
Congress have had other strug-
giles, just as important at the
time, during many years. The
American form of government
has continued to stand.
No one wants imitation in this
country. There are too many
groups and blocs seeking to make
all the money they can out of
these war conditions. But to pile
all the blame on the farmers for
present conditions is ridiculous.