Evening star., 1943-11-28
BarkIey Asks Airing
Of Subsidy Dispute
To GET Full Story
3y the Associated Press.

Any Senate consent to continual
ton of food subsidies apparently
hung yesterday on efforts of a small
Democratic bloc to split strong op-
position ranks with a compromise
that would permit outlay of the
funds for limited period and
restricted amount.
While administration lieutenants
famed that faint hope vigorously,
Majority Leader Barkley called for
a public airing of the controversy
80 the people will get the full
story"
Farm bloc leaders-confident of
outright defeat of President Roose-
velt's price subsidy program
pressed. however, for a quick vote
on the House-approved bill which,
after December 81, would ban Gov
ernment payments to keep down
retail food prices.
Strive for Compromise.
Meantime. the group of Demo-
cratic Senators were striving to win
over farm bloc spokesmen to the
compromise proposal, though no
specific subsidy ceiling or time limit
for the program had been decided.
Administration contentious that
food prices would soar if Congress
prohibits subsidies sounded to Sem
ator Aiken, Republican, of Vermont
like threat to let consumer prices
skyrocket and then to blame Con-
gress."
The President told Congress
month ago that of the $500 900 900
subsidy cost this year, $3.50 900 900
was for maintaining support prices
to farmers and the remainder to
roll back or stabilize retail prices of
certain commodities such as meat,
butter, bread and milk.
There is no general demand for
an increase in all farm prices" Sen
ator Aiken asserted.
Chairman Wagner of the Senate
Banking Committee said subsidy
opponents had proposed that hear
ings on the House bill be limited to
"a day or two but that he would
insist on full hearings that prob
ably would last week.
War Food Administrator Marvin
Jones and Price Administrator
Chester Bowles will head the ad-
ministration witnesses appearing
against the subsidy BAN Farm or
ganization spokesmen will open the
hearings Tuesday. Mayor F. H. La
Guardia of New York and a group
Of other mayors supporting sub
sides are scheduled to be heard
Friday.
Senator Barkley declined to COM
ment on the reported administra-
ton compromise move, saying he
wanted to wait and see what hap
pens in the hearings"
Democratic subsidy supporters in
dicated they were counting strongly
on the backing of organized labor
at the Senate hearings to neutralize
some of the farm sentiment against
the program.
The administration also may get
help in the subsidy controversy from
Senator Taft. Republican, of Ohio,
who disclosed that he is attempting
to find ground for compromise.
Hopes to Clarity Issue.
Senator Taft told a reporter he
hopes to bring out in the public
hearings before the Banking Com
mittee information which will dis
tingu:sh what he termed "objec-
tionable" subsidies from possibly
"unobjectionable" subsidies and try
to get the latter adopted in some
form.
Congress certainly will not ac-
cept any subsidies designed to roll
back prices or any that will be
subject to abuse for political pur-
poses, such as those which attempt
to put check in the hands of
every farmer" Senator Taft de-
clared
He said, however, he believed
there might be some possibility of
compromising on a program under
which the Government would buy
certain food commodities and sell
them At loss in order to prevent
lnflatlOnarV price rises.