Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-10
Byrnes Order Viewed
Ascertain 10 Stir
Bitter Farm Fight
Major Agricultural
Groups, Congress Bloc
Oppose Price Curbs
Y the Associated Press.

Ry the Associated Press.
The administration drew A shar]
| line today against further advance
in farm prices and thereby set tn
stage for a bitter struggle will
powerful agricultural leaders in an.
out Of Congress.
The speech of Economic Stabilize
ton Director James F.. Byrnes las
night was interpreted on all side
as an administration declaration
that it was ready to do battle i
necessary to preserve its presen
farm and food price and produc
ton policies.
Those policies, in short. are de.
signed to stabilize agricultural price!
at a level called parity. by mean.
OF such devices as ceilings to keer
prices from going too high anc
floors to keep them from going toe
low.
Exception to Policy.
There is one general exception
to these policies. 1t involves crops
needed in volume far in excess OF
past levels. The administration says
1t realizes that farmers need re-
turns greater than parity to meet
extra expenses involved in stepping
up production OF such crops. It
would make up that extra expense
in the form of what it calls benefits
and incentive payments.
The farm payments, for which
between 100000 and $500 ,00O,-
600 from the Treasury may be
needed. would take the place of
increases in ceiling prices-and
hence in food prices-which other
wise would be necessary.
These policies are opposed by foul
maJor farm organizations and mem
oers OF Congress from agricultural
States. The farm groups are the
American Farm Bureau Federation
the National Grange, the Nationa
Cooperative Council, and the Ma
tional Cooperative Milk Produc.
ers' Federation.
United Front Favored.
These organizations recently an.
nounced that they had formed .
united front" to fight for higher
farm prices. They contend the
present shortage of farm labor re.
fleets financial inability of farm
operators to compete with city
wages. They are pressing for legis-
lation which would allow farm prices
to advance at least 10 per cent be
fore ceilings could be set.
limiting that a presidential veto
might be the fate of such legislation,
Mr.. Byrnes declared that change
in the farm parity formula would
not be in the interest of farmers"
The four farm organizations and
some members Of the congressional
farm bloc also oppose the admins
tration's incentive payment plan.
They insist that farmers should be
allowed to collect full and ample re-
turns at the market place.
Mr.. Byrnes indicated that the adj
ministration would insist on appro-
priations for subsidy payments, as
serting they would enable the Gov
eminent to increase production
without increasing prices.
Differences Explained. '"7f.
The differences between the ad-
ministration and the farm organi-
cations go back. to the congressional
campaign last fall. Republican sue
cesses were interpreted by some farm
leaders as a farmer revolt against
the administration farm policies,
particularly those affecting prices
and production control.
The administration has the sup
port of one large farm organiza-
ton, the National Farmers Union,
which is made up largely of farm
tenants, workers and small opera
tors.
A compulsory ''back-to-the farm
movement to help fill a rural labor
gap that threatens the years food
production was indicated by Mr..
Byrnes.
He said the Government felt
many farm workers who had taken
war jobs should return to the farm
limiting that if they refused the
Government might take steps to
cancel their draft deferment.
Cooperation Asked.
Last year many workers upon
farms and in diaries went to in
dustrial plants" Mr.. Byrnes said
They were splendid farm workers;
they are Indifferent mechanics. AS
we have urged men to volunteer
for military service we should urge
those men to return to the farms
where they are needed, even II the
compensation is less. II they re-
fuse to 60 their draft deferments
should be Cancelled"
Adoption OF the 48-hour week in
many areas, Mr.. Byrnes said. shoulc
release manpower from urban pur.
suits for the armed forces, for wal
industry and for the farms.