Evening star., 1943-04-03
Senate Passage
OF Farm Bill
Over Veto Seen
Administration Aides,
Opponents Prepare
For Showdown Tuesday
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Administration forces in Con-
gress worked feverishly today to
stem a new farm bloc revolt that
threatened to override President
Roosevelt's veto of a bill pro-
hibiting the deduction of Gov
ernment benefit payments in
calculating agricultural parity
prices.
Senator Bankhead, Democrat. Of
Alabama, author of the measure re-
jected by the President on the
ground 1t was infationary in its ef-
fects and dangerous to both the
constructive farm policy" and the
whole war effort worked just as
feveriShly to muster votes for Tues
days showdown, when the question
comes up again.
Majority Leader Barkley con-
ceded that the odds were against
getting the necessary one-third vote
TO sustain the veto in the Senate.
but declared he would make the
fight. He believed the House, where
the so-cal]ed city vote" counts
more heavily. offered more favorable
prospects for the administration.
Outside the Capitol Hill lineup
organized labor appeared likely to
exert some pressure for sustaining
the Presidents veto, with farm Or
ganizations generally expected to
join the fight against it.
Labor Supports President.
The Congress of Industrial Or
CARNATIONS and American Fedora =
ton of Labor came out fatty in
support of Mr.. Roosevelt's action
with their respective presidents
Philip Murray and William Green
issuing joint statement to that
/ effect
However Albert S. Goss, master of
/ the National Grange, major farm
! organiza ton. said he could mot
agree with the Presidents reason
ing or conclusions and called the
veto unfortunate.
He also apparently did not agree
with the Chief Executive s veto mes
sage contention that enactment of
the Bankhead bill would not aid
farmers in the long run. The Presi-
dent said that instead the measure
would start an inflationary upward
spiral of both wages and prices
which would add to the burdens of
all and make the winning of the
war more difficult and gravely i'm
| peril our chances of winning the
| peace
| Just how much effect his argu-
ments would have on Congress was
! expected to be shown Tuesday. The
House originally approved the bill
by a l49-to-40 vote The Senate
with Senator Barkley lined up in
support, passed the measure orig
lnally. 78 to 2: with only Rhode
Islands Democratic Senators Green
and Gerry opposing.
Change Is Noted.
However, Senator Barkley told re-
! porters today there has been some
/ change in sentiment. and the grow
ing fears of imitation will be re-
/ f7ected in Tuesdays vote:
I'm not making any predictions
since l haven't canvassed the
. Senate"
/ Other administration supporters
pointed to the recent action of the
Senate in sending the House assoc
Pace bill to include labor costs il
the parity formula back to the Ag.
riculture Committee for hearings a.
evidence that the Senate fears in.
creased industrial wage demand.
almost as much as it desires highel
farm prices.
In light of the labor leaders stand
! Senators recalled that Mr.. Murra,
told a Senate committee recent,
| the two bills together would increase
living costs 20 per cent.
However, Senator Bankhead tole
reporters he believed Congress ane
the administration should "considel
| the parity formula as important anc
/ as lnVlolable as the Little Steel for.
mula' which controls wages.
| Senator Bankhead, Chairman
Smith of the Agriculture Committee
and Senator Aiken, Republican. OF
| vermont assert that the deduction
OF Government payments before set
ting the maximum prices on farm
products was directed by the Presi-
dent without any statutory authority
in the revised price control law.
Meanwhile. Senator johnson
Democrat of Colorado, one of the
original supporters of the Bankheac
measure, said he was not certain
in view ,of the strong arguments
made by the President. and his owr
real fear of imitation" that he coulc
vote to override the veto.
Il just don't know" he said. TN
going to take the veto message home
and study it,"