Evening star., 1949-06-13
Brannan Offers Plan
For Farm Subsidies
To Midwest ParIey
BY the Assoeiofed Pres,


DES MONIES, June 13.-Sec-
retary Of Agriculture Brannan
called today for public support of
the Truman administration farm
policies to help prevent the great
est economic crash in history"
Americas farm productive pow
er, he said, is like atomic energy
it can be used for either good or
bad.
But the Nation need not fear
this power, the cabinet officer
said, if it supports the Democratic
Party. That party, he added,
has been the only one in history
to support effective farm pro-
grams" aimed at serving the
whole country.
Mr.. Brannan made his plea in
q speech prepared for a two-dayI
midwestern Democratic confer
ence to lay plans for 1850 con-
gressional campaigns in a 16-
State farm belt area that con-
tributed heavily to Mr.. Truman's'
victory last year.
The talk will be broadcast by
NBC at noon (ESTD.
The secretary offered the farm
plan as the best means Of pre-
venting "farm-fed and farm
led" depression which, he added,
could destroy democracy.
Attacks Aiken Law.
The secretary described as lin
adequate" the so-called Aiken
long-range farm law passed by
the Republican 80th Congress and
scheduled to go into effect in 1850.
He said 1t would not offer enough |
income protection to prevent a
farm depression.
In brief, the Brannan plan
would guarantee farmers higher
returns than the Aiken law. 1t
would depend more heavily. how
ever, on Government subsidies to
producers. 1t features lower prices
for perishable foods-especially
meats, dairy and poultry products
with the Government paying
farmers a subsidy covering the
difference when those prices fell
below level deemed fair to them.
Mr.. Brannan noted that claims
have been made that the plan
would mean RECOMMENDATION" for
farmers. The truth is, he said,
the plans asked for absolutely no
new type of authority or control
over agriculture" The only real
controls proposed. he said, are
marketing quotas.
Answers Criticism of Cost.
Mr.. Brannan said the second
major criticism was the cost. Some
have predicted, he said, it would
cost IS .000. 900 900, $4,000, 900, 900
and 10000 600, 900 a year.
Nobody bothered to give any
economic analysis to back up the
guesstimates, but it is obvious they
were based on a belief in depres-
sion." he said.
The Secretary said it has been
charged that his plan is "politi-
cal" He referred to a statement
by President Allan B. Kline of the
American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton calling 1t "politico- economic
philosophy" 'f''
If it is political to appeal to .
the Judgment Of the American ,
people in farm program matters, ,
so be 1t" he said.
Mr.. Brannan said these criti-
cisms were merely top dressing"
for the real argument" against
his proposal. That argument, he
said, is that the plan would give
the farmer more than he is en-
titled to.
Points to Price Cuts.
want to know what he '
Is entitled to. I am almost
ashamed to confess that the pro- ;
gram I have proposed would let
farm prices go down in relation to
other prices to such an extent that
farm products would have Is per-
cent less purchasing power than I
they had last year."
Truman aides dangled before
the conference the Brannan plan
and asked: Will the farmers 20
for the plan? Labor leaders al
ready have promised support of
organized workers. :
Farm belt Democratic leaders
said most farmers wanted high ,
level supports. but were not sold
on the idea of having to depend !
upon Government payments for
q part of that return. !
They said there was much SEN
timent among farmers for s. I
simple" farm program coupling
high-level supports with produc- 6
ton controls to keep agriculture t
from producing supplies which c
would depress prices below such 7
levels.
Such a plan would rule out the {
promise of cheaper food to con-