Evening star., 1942-04-30
Townsend Defends
Continued Payment
Of Farmer Benefits
Tells U. S. Chamber
Federal Aid Will Help
Meet Wartime Needs
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, April 30.-M. Clifford
Townsend, director of Agricultural
Defense Relations, declared today
experience gained through Govern
ment assistance in time Of peace en-
abled agriculture to enter the war
period ready to make quick changes
for enormous wartime production.
In an address to the 30th annual
meeting of the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States, Mr..
Townsend said many people have
asked why continued assistance to
farmers was needed now that they
were enjoying relatively more pros
perity.
II believe this assistance has been
a sound investment from the stand
point Of national welfare In gen.
eral," Mr.. Townsend said. "and is
continuing to be a good investment
today.
First, the conservation achieve
ments Of farmers have made it pos
sible for them to give full support
to our national war effort. If we
are to meet the food production
goals which have been established
at record high levels for 1912 We
shall have to keep working for con-
servation.
Had House in Good Order.
Second, because farmers had the
means to hold crops OF glutted mar
kets, they had large stores Of feed
reserves built up in their ever
normal granary, and were able to
begin Immediately their job OF con-
verting feed into pork, poultry and
other food products.
Thus, agriculture entered the
war period with its house in good
order, ready to make quick changes
for wartime production"
He said there was concern over
the farm labor situation, but we
cannot say in so many words that
there is general shortage Of farm
workers. We can expect in 1912
a farm labor situation roughly COM
parable to that Of l94l-with short
ages in certain areas, and for har-
vesting certain crops"
The Resolutions Committee of the
chamber asserted today the Price
Control Act should be amended ito
include salaries, wages, bonuses,
commissions and compensation OF
all kinds paid to all employees for
services rendered, including corpo-
rate officers, directors and man
ayers"
Should Match Sacrifices.
The recommendation was con-
tained in committee report which
declared "it is the inescapable duty
and high privilege of business in all
its phases to match, as fully as
possible, the sacrifices made by our
men In armed services"
On other subjects the committee
said in part:
Labor relations: Neither labor
nor management has a right to pro-
mote its respective interests at the
expense of the general welfare, and
at least of all during war.
When the Nation is at war the
national interest would be served
II the exercise Of the right to strike
were voluntarily suspended"
Public expenditures: Activities
not primarily concerned with the
war effort should be abolished or
cut to the barest minimum. .
Steps should be continued until the
expenditures on non-war activities
are reduced at least $4,000, 900 900
below the past year."
Federal taxes and war financing
THE Congress should make careful
exploration of possible new kinds
Of taxes, such as a general sales
tax and a Withholding tax on sal
aries, wages, dividends, interest and
other forms of income which may
properly be included. Reliance should
not be placed primarily on heavily
increased income tax rates"
Social Security Changes.
Social Security Act: When the
country Is engaged in q struggle to
maintain national security, pro-
posals for expanding benefits under
the Social Security Act should be
set aside"
Convention speakers yesterday in
cluded Admiral Howard l.. Vickery
Of the Maritime Commission, Joseph
B. Eastman, director Of the Once
Of Defese Trasportation and Sen
ator Tydings. Democrat, of Mary
land.