Evening star., 1945-01-09

high level, recommend appropria.
tions for the Department of Agri.
culture, including the War Food
Administration, of 512 million dol.
lars. Although this Is considerably
less than has been appropriated in
the fiscal year 1945, the amount
available, after adjustment for un-
used balances, reappropriations and
transfers, will not be substantially
less than the amount being used for
agricultural purposes in this fiscal
year.
Farm Appropriations Cover
Wide Range Of Activities.
The appropriations include pro-
vision for the Agricultural Adjust
ment Agency, the Soil Conservation
Service, the Farm Security Admin
istration, the expectation and do
mestic consumption of agricultural
commodities, the administration of
the Sugar Act and research and
other long-established functions of
the Department of Agriculture.
They do not include provision for
potential net expenditures of either
the Commodity Credit Corp. or the
Federal Crop Insurance Corp. OF
the 512 million dollars recommended,
10 million dollars for the War Food
Administration are designated for
war activities and 10 million dollars
are for general public works.
Anticipating the needs of return
ing war veterans and the desirable
lty OF providing adequate assistance
to small, low-income farmers. rec
ommend that the borrowing author
lty OF the Farm Security Admins
tration be increased from 67 to l25
million dollars for rural rehabilita-
ton and from Is to so million dol
lars for the tenant purchase pro-
gram. I recommend that the bor-
rowing authority of the Rural Elec-
triffcation Administration be in
creased from IS to $50 million dol
lars in order to permit the extension
OF electricity to at least part of the
8 million rural families now with
out such service. I have already
given my approval to a recommen-
dation of the war food admins
traitor for an increase of 2 billion
dollars in borrowing authority of the
Commodity Credit Corp. I shall
recommend appropriations for
financing the revived program for
crop insurance in the very near
future.
This agricultural budget is a war
time budget. 1t does not fully reflect
desirable longtime objectives. In the
future. we must develop a program
to eliminate malnutrition and rural
poverty. The Government is COM
mltted to support agricultural prices
to farmers at fair level for two
years after the war. Farmers and
the Nation as a whole must be pro-
tected from heavy fluctuations in
agricultural prices and income, and
this must be accomplished without
the accumulation of unmanageable
surpluses. So long as a large num-
Der Of people have an inadequate
diet, We cannot have a true surplus
of agricultural production. We can
have only too much of the wrong
things.
Social Security, Retirement
And Education Programs.
Social Security - Appropriations
for administration ard grants under
the social security program are esti-
mated at 494 million dollars for the
fiscal year 1946, an increase of IA
million dollars over the fiscal year
l945. This increase is largely for
higher grants to match payments
of the States under the Social Sc
curity Act.
I hope that the Congress will give
early consideration to extension and
improvement of our social security
system and will re-examine the
financial basis of the program.
Retirement Funds-Appropriations
for the Government employees re-
tirement funds are estimated at 247
million dollars for the fiscal year
1916, an increase of so million dol
lars over the current fiscal year
This will reduce the previously ac-
crued liabilities of the Government
to these trust funds and will also
provide for an increase in the num-
ber Of employees currently acquir-
ing benefit rights.
Education-As part of the bud
get for the fiscal year 1916, I am
recommending reorganization of the
basic structure of the Office of Edu-
cation. This reorganization will
facilitate service to the States in
the development of more adequate
educational programs, with proper
emphasis on all the various aspects
of education.
The training and educational pro-
grams of the Army, the Navy and
civilian agencies during this war
have broadened our conception of
the role that education should play
in our national life. The records
of selective service reveal that we
have fallen far short of a suitable
standard Of elementary and Sec
ondary education. If a suitable
standard is to be maintained in all
parts of the country, the Federal
Government must render aid where
it is needed-but only where it is
needed. ..-
Such financial aid should involve
no interference with State and local
control and administration of edu-
cational programs. It should simply
make good our national obligation
to all our children. This country
is great enough to guarantee the
right to education adequate for full
citizenship.
Public Works Program
Calls for $279, ,0O0, 900.
Recommended appropriations un.
der the general public works pro.
gram in the fiscal year 1916 tota
$279 ,000, 900. $4,000, 900 more thar
appropriated for the current year
Balances brought forward from pub.
lie works appropriations of severa
years ago are about used up. Ever
with the recommended new appro'
priations, the program as a Who'll.
will be limited; actual construction