Evening star., 1943-04-08
Government Will Paw
Higher Prices for
Vital War Crops
Move Designed to Boost
Production Of Beans, Peas,
Peanuts, Soybeuns

Peanuts, Soybeuns
Growers OF five essential war crops
today had guarantee from Food
Administrator Chester C. Davis that
the Government would pay higher
prices for the commodities-dried
beans and peas, peanuts, soybeans
and faXseed-as means of encour-
aging the greatest possible produc-
ton.
In surprise move late yesterday
Mr.. Davis announced the Govern
ment would support grower prices at
higher levels than previously an
nounced by the Agriculture Depart
ment, through purchase and loan
operations of the Commodity Credit
Corp.
The announcement indicated the
sweeping aside of Secretary of Ag-
riculture Wickard's proposed $780,
100000 incentive payment program
and at the same time the circum-
venting of the congressional farm
bloc which has opposed incentive
payments to farmers The Wickard
program was due to come up in
Congress soon.
Mr., Davis announced, however.
that incentive payments would be
made Oh potatoes and truck crops.
including carrots. snap beans. lima
beans, beetS. tomatoes, cabbage. on
ions and green peas, at rates pre-
viouSly outlined by Mr.. Wickard.
Funds for such payments were avail
able at the time the incentive pay
ment plan was announced.
The five crops for which higher
prices have been pledged-at the ex-
pense of the Government and not
the cOnsumer-are key commodities
In the war food program. The Gov
ernment has asked for greatly in
creased production of beans and
peas, which are rationed. and pea
nuts soybeans and faXSeed for
vegetable food oil and livestock feed
In the case of dried beans and
peas and soybeans the support prices
are higher than present OPA CELL
ings, but Mr.. Davis, in announcing
the program yesterday, did not say
whether an increase in ceiling prices
was contemplated. Commodity
Credit Corp. officials say an alter
native might be Government sale. at
a loss, of these products to consumer
outlets at prices that would enable
them to comply with ceilings.
Leaders See President.
Earlier yesterday Mr. Davis. Mr.
Wlckard and leaders of four farm
organizations, all comprising an un-
official farm advisory board. met
with President Roosevelt for an
hour. They then conferred among
themselves in another room of the
White House for nearly an hour
AfterWard MI. Davis told re-
porters that the group was in
complete agreement on the i'm
the initiation front" He added that
we feel there has to be co-ordl-
mated action all along the line if We
are going to be able to do that at
all"
Farm leaders present we're Ezra
7. Benson, executive secretary of
the National Council of Farmer
president of the National Farmers
Union; Edward A. ONeal. president
of the American Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton, and Albert S. Goss, master
of the National Grange.
The question of whether MI Davis
would have complete control over
farm prices was not raised again
yesterday as it was at the first meet
ing of the group last week This
was seen AS indicating the farm
leaders had abandoned, at least
temporarily, their insistence that
Mr.. Davis have power over and
above that of Price Administrator
Prentlss Brown and Economic Sta
bllizatlor Director James F. Byrnes.
Patton Against Price Rises.
Mr.. Patton said he personally had
not asked for any assurances on
Mr.. Davis authority over prices be
cause I have felt all along that the
general level of farm prices was
high enough. and l am against any
move that would make price hike
possible"
Mr.. Goss said he stated very
frankly to the President that con-
troll Of initiation through price CELL
ings alone was bound to fail" The
way to get it, he said is through an
abundance of production. and where
that is impossible, through reducing
the demand by means of rationing
to meet the supply.