Imperial Valley press., 1944-03-13
APPLIES COMMON SENSE
10 NATIONS AGRICULTURE

= There is before Congress a measure,
introduced in the low house by Repre-
Sentative John Phillips of the 22nd Cali
,fornia district, that carries some very
sensible ideas and plans for the future
Of agriculture in the United States. Rep
resentative Phillips presented the meas
are on behalf of the Republican Con-
gressional Food Study Committee Of
which he is member.
~ Striking at the heart of the whole
agricultural problem, this measure pro
poses that control of the distribution OF
excess food and agricultural commodl-
ties be restored to Congress. The meas
ure would set up corporation and vest
therein authority with responsibility for
Carrying into effect and integrated and
eo-ordinated government policy which
Mould be managed by persons of expert
ence"
l. After a decade of manipulations by
inexperienced persons in multltudlnouS
bureaus, the proposal to call upon men
of experience, meets Immediate response
of the agricultural world. 1t will not be
as welcome to the army of bureau chiefs
and underlings who wouldn't know
bean from bull frog. Nor will it be pop
lilar with the administration whose only
Id6d Is W htcp oli II SAlS oiiC NiiAiiS 49,
another with the same set of incompe-
tents carrying out these ideas.
,zWhat the new proposal sets out clearly
is that all agriculture wants and needs
is the chance to go ahead, unfettered by
regulations and restrictions evolved from
the minds of theorists and dreamers.
= Commenting on the measure when in
troduced. Rep. Phillips said: eve believe
i c4r lOf the nrOn0SpQ
pian) should be kept in the hands of
Representatives of agriculture, as for
example, the department of agriculture
and the war food administration and men
experienced in the various stages OF agrl-
cultural production, processing and dis
tribution from the field to the consumer.
,*Again the plans goes deep into the
problem as whole in that 1t stresses
Speedy, even and economical DIS
tribution Of surplus foods. That is the
kew to present and future prosperity IN
the AGRICULTURAL 1t will he disastrous
to follow any hit Or miss rule in this dis
tfibution after the war. Such course
would upset the whole structure OF agrl-
cultural pursuits and place the producer
AT the further mercy OF program tnat
Keeps on wandering further from the very
fundamentals of production and distrlbu-
tion to the end that chaotic conditions
would be even worse than at present.
'sUnder provisions of the bill. the newly
created corporation would absorb the
functions of the existing federal surplus
commodity corporation, created by the
presidential order, thus removing them
from executive to legislative control. II
would be authorized to dispose OF all
excess foods in government hands ana
could purchase and resell surplus agrl-
cultural commodities held by private
concerns at market prices.
THE corporation also is empowered TO
deal with temporary surpluses. 1t couid
campel the movement of huge quantities
of excess foods now being stored, some OF
which is reported to be spelling
sin the postwar period, the corporation
would have full jurisdiction over the dis
posal of ali food supplies remaining IN
the warehouses now being held by the
armed services. >
The committee spent a great deal OF
time in a study of the entire agricultural
problem and its reactions are entltled 10
honest consideration by congress.
when the day of invasion comes, such
a aweight of fire power, air power, armor-
ed, motorized power and manpoWer as
never before was assembled Will strike
aS our enemies on the contlnent.-Lleut.-
Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Services OF
Supply chief