Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-20
Parity Bill Expected
To Pass Senate After
Surprise House 0. K.
Move to Lift Farm Prices
May Be NuIIified by
Presidents Veto, However
~ the Associated Pre- S..


Presidents Veto, However
~ the Associated Press
The House farm bloc that
caught the city fellerS" mapping
Yesterday looked with confidence
today to the Senate to speed to
the White House-and possibly
veto-legislation requiring the
inclusion of labor costs in deter
mining parity.
Parity is a technical price calcu-
lated to give the farmers share of
current national income and pur-
chasing power proportionate to that
they enjoyed in the base period from
1909 to 1914
v surprise maneuver that
caught opponents of-guard the
farm bloc succeeded in passing
through the House on a voice vote
the bill of Representative Pace. Dem
ocrat, of Georgia to amend the basic
farm law to require that the increase
in farm labor costs since the base
period be considered in computing
parity.
Restrictions Shouted Down.
This increase, Mr.. Pace told the
House. amounts to Sl4l q CAV, or
the difference between 81 40 paid in
the 1909-l914 period and 1888 paid
January on the basis of Agriculture
Department surveys. The legisla-
ton requires that the calculation
take into consideration the work of
hired helpers, farm operators and
members of operators families actu-
ally engaged in farm work.
Former OPA Administrator Leon
Henderson estimated the bill would
boost 1913 food prices as much as
$500 100000, but Mr. Pace con-
tended the cost of living would be
increased less than 81 ,000, 100000 this
year by his measure.
Efforts to restrict the bill only to
the labor Of hired workers and to
make it effective only for the dura-
ton of the war. we're shouted down
as the farm bloc, in complete con-
troll, forced the issue
Presidential Veto Indicated.
There were few city members on
the floor when the bill was called
up, most of them having gone home
for the week end
Mr.. PAGES bill had been listed for
consideration Tuesday.
Senate approval was freely pre-
dicted, but indications of a presi-
Dental veto came from Chairman
SABBATH of the House Rules Commit
tee and other members, including
some supporters of the legislation.
The administration has stoutly OPP
posed the proposal as being of an
inflationary nature.
Mr.. Pace. however. termed the
legislation necessary if farmers were
to be able to compete for labor with
other markets to produce the bump
er crop demanded by the war effort.
1t could not, the Georgian asserted,
be used as an argument for higher
wages for industrial workers be-
cause they already have received
boosts under the Little Steel
formula designed to compensate
them for increased living costs.
Called Political Expedition
In view of previous Senate action
prohibiting the deduction of Govern
ment benefit payments for purposes
OF determining parity payments, !
House farm leaders said they ex- |
pected no trouble in having the Pace
bill approved in that chamber,
Among the few legislators who OPP
posed the legislation were Repre-
sentatives Dirksen. who offered the
only amendments. and Allen. both
Illinois Republicans Mr. Allen ex-
pressed fear the legislation would
result in hardship for white col
lar workers" with fixed incomes in
that it would add to their food costs.
Il don't believe the farmers are
particularly worried about higher
prices" Mr. Allen told the House.
I'm my opinion this is merely a po-
litical expedition"
Dirksen contended the bill event.
ually would hurt the farmer, not
help him"
Farmers Union Head Hits Move.
Mr.. Sabath's warning of imitation
danger in the bill brought from Rep
resentative Hoffman. Republican. of
Michigan suggestion that the ad-
ministration consider the possible
infationary result of wage in
crease such as has been demanded
for bituminous miners by John l..
Lewis.
Commenting on the Pace bills pas
sage, President James G.. Patton of
the National Farmers Union. said in
q statement:
In their stampede for the hog
trough OF imitation. many members
of the House seem to be taking their
cut in national economic policy from
Ed ONeal president of the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau Federation and
John L. Lewis. one demanding that
prices rise TO their natural levels
and the other insisting that the
Government stand aside for finish
fight over higher wages in a vital
war industry.
inclusion of labor costs in parity
will not get increased production of
the kind and quantities of food we
need"
Rank ToIIorIe Nomod