Evening star., 1949-09-29
Senate DemocratsPIan
ToCa|| a||UpCompromise
Farm Legislation
BY the Assoeiofsd Press

ID BY the Assoeioisd Press
The Senate Democratic Policy
Committee has decided to call up
a compromise farm bill for action
after the Senate disposes of a
series of Government pay bills.
Senate Majority Leader Lucas,
the committee chairman, pre-
dicted the Senate will clear the
pay measures, the farm bill and a
rural telephone bill by the end of
this week.
The farm bill, sponsored by
Senator Anderson. Democrat, Of
New Mexico, provides for system
of flexible price supports for agri-,
cultural commodities.
Meanwhile, the administration
is getting set to head off farm plan
suggestions that food surpluses
be given to low-income families.
Proposals of this nature are be-
ing discussed in some Capitol Hill
and farm group circles as substi-
tute for the administrations
Brannan farm program. A goal of
the latter is lower food prices for
all, with the Government assuring
farmers good returns by means of
payments from the Federal Treas
ury. .--. ...
Sizable Surpluses Held.
Right now the government
holds sizable surpluses of butter,
dried eggs, dried milk and pota-
toes. It expects to have to buy
large quantities of pork, lard and
other hog products later this year,
when hog marketings are likely
to be very heavy.
New interest in proposals for
passing out surpluses to low-in-
come groups was stirred up at
the farm conference held by ma
tional Republican leaders at Sioux
City, Iowa, last week.
Representative Hope. Repub-
lican. of Kansas, ranking minority
member Of the House Agriculture
Committee, and a number of
farmers suggested such a way of
dealing with surpluses. Pending
in Congress is a proposal Of this
kind sponsored by Senator Aiken,
Republican, Of Vermont.
Distribution of surpluses among
the needy was used by Demo-
cratic administrations before the
war. First. surpluses were made
available through relief stores.
Later, they were distributed
through regular grocery stores by
means of a food-stamp plan.
Complications Seen.
Under the food-stamp plan,
low-income consumers got stamps
from the Government good for
purchases of designated surplus
foods. The stamps were redeemed
by the Government.
The Truman administration
prefers the Brannan plan of en-
couraging all consumers to buy
surpluses by permitting prices to
all 60 down. Secretary of Agri-
culture Brannan has said such a
program would cost the Govern
ment less than the stamp plan.
Department officials said there
lis danger that a direct distfibu-
|tion plan would complicate rather
than ease the Governments prob
lem Of supporting prices. Direct
gifts, they said. would tend to
take recipients out Of the market
for the items distributed. Thus
the Government would have to
increase its purchases to main
tain price levels guaranteed
growers.
Session Discussed in House.
Republicans and Democrats
jabbed back and forth on the
House floor yesterday over
whether the Republican farm
meeting was a success or flop.
"An outstanding success" Rep
resentative Hoeyen, Republican,
of Iowa insisted.
"A failure SO far as the farmers
were concerned" retorted Ma
jority Leader Mccormack.
Mr.. Hoeven said $500 dirt
farmers. 18 Congressman and
more than 100 witnesses from Is
States turned up at the Sioux
City conference.
Only two witnesses, he said.
wanted the Brannan plan. World
War II veterans and other young
farmers, he said. urged a long
range program with "a minimum
of Government interference"
LegisIation Planned.
Farmers were asked what they
wanted, he added, land no at
tempt was made to shove a pre-
|digested package Of cure all down
their throats." Republican House
members will soon put their views
into legislation. he said.
A couple of hours after Mr..
Hoeven praised the COPS farm
plans. Representative Sutton,
Democrat, of Tennessee fred back
with sarcastic congratulations.
Mr.. Sutton said the Republican
Party has q record Of perfect
consistency in attacking every
progressive measure for farm
prosperity and never offering q
constructive program Of its own. !"
Former Archbishop
|Of Athens Dies nf 81