Evening star., 1947-05-27
SABBATH AssaiIs
Agriculture Cut
As Ruthless
Suicide for 6. O. P,
He Says as Debute
Opens in House
BY the Assoeioted Press

BY the Associated Press
Representative SABBATH, Demo-
.crat, of Illinois told House Re-
publicans today that they will be
committing political suicide" If
they support a 80 per cent cut in
Agriculture Department funds
for 1948 as recommended by the
House Appropriations Commit
tee.
Opening debate on the $805 ,o00, 900
farm supply bill from which the
committee chopped $685., 600, 900, Mr..
SABBATH assailed the measure as
ruthless" and as representing "a
complete and tragic disregard of the
best interests of agriculture and of
our country"
Procedure Called Tyranny.
Republican members of the Ap-
preparations Committee, he said,
owe allegiance to none except the
economic royalists who are the
masters of the Republican Party
Mr.. SABBATH said procedure under
which the House is considering the
bill "is autocracy" and Legislative
tyranny of the worst kind"
above ALL" he added, turning to
the Republicans, ''it is your political
suicide"
Rumblings Of discomfort among
Republicans and Democrats alike
increased as the supply bill came
before the House for debate. A vote
on passage was set for late tomor-
row.
Even Representative Dirksen, Re-
publican, of Illinois, who headed the
subcommittee which drafted the bill
and who will handle it on the floor,
told reporters, There may be some
trouble"
Will Resist Amy Major Change.
Mr.. Dirksen referred to pending
amendments to restore some of the
funds the committee cut from soil
conservation payments. from the
school lunch program and from
other Agriculture Department prof.
ects.
Mr.. Dirksen said he will resist all
amendments making ANY substa n
ton change" in the committees bill.
Other Republican leaders laid
privately they expect the bill to give
the committee its first major test
since 1t involves so many congress
sional districts.
Among Republicans who have
spoken cut against the measure
are Chairman Hope of the House
Agriculture Committee, Representa-
tive Hull Of Wisconsin and Senator
Aiken of Vermont.
Hope Attacks Committee Action.
Mr.. Hope accused the Appropria-
tions Committee of attempting to
usurp prerogatiyes of the agricul-
ture group by writing legislative
language into the supply bill.
The Kansan was particularly Bit
ter over the committees plan to
withdraw an estimated $148 900 900
which the Agriculture Department
had expected to receive from i'm
port duties next year.
Mr.. Hull, referring to recent con-
gressional approval of the $400, ,0O0.- :
600 Greek Turkish aid program, de-
clared:
Il do not believe it is right to
make an American governmental
agency pay for the Greek loan. Z"
Aiken Predicts Loss for COP.
Senator Aiken said the cuts in
farm funds will blast the Repub-
lican party off the map" If Congress
passes the bill In its present form.
Representative Pace, Democrat, of
Georgia. told reporters the chances
of restoring committee cuts depend
"on how many Republicans we can
wean over to our stde.'
Mr.. Pace said some Republicans
are afraid of the political conse-
quences OF sharp cuts In farm funds.
Representative Cannon, Democrat,
of Missouri, former chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, accused
the Republican leadership of having
kicked in the Stats" Western and
Midwestern Republican farmers
who, he said, helped the COP OBJ
tain control of Congress in last
years elections.
Major cuts recommended by the
committee in looping 1888 .427, ,742
from budget requests for total of
S1,188,57l,3l8 included $35 ,000, 900 in
the school lunch fund and s117, $40
754 from soil conservation payments
to farmers.