Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1949-08-05

WAS examined and evaluated before recon-
mendation was made so that efficiency mas not
been sacrificed to false economy.
much prefer this method of government
saving to that of an overall SLASH In govern
ment expenditures on a percentage basis, Such
"meat axe" technique only curtalls ana ooes
not eliminate wasteful, unnecessary operations
and at the same time cuts the budgets Oh
needed services to the point where tney can
not operate efficiently and effectively
While the Hoover Commission recOmmen-
dations have ben hailed with considerable en-
thusiasm by a great many people e, oddly
enough, some of those who loudly demand that
Congress adopt the Commissions plans are
strongly opposed to two of its proposals Whlch
seem very logical to me. One would return
the Cancellation Service to the Department OF
Labor and the other would bring the wages
and Hours Division also within the province OF
the Department of Labor
The basing point bill passed by the House
would permit manufacturers acting lndepent-
ly, to absorb shipping costs in order to quote
uniform delivery prices throughout the coun-
try.
Small business interests were fearful Of
this bill, feeling that it left loophole for
monopolistic practices by large industries The
bill probably would not have been passed
without the Carroll amendment which pre-
vents evasion of the anti-monopoly provisions
of the Clayton Act, thus closing the loophole
and protecting small business.
The House action on the Brannan Farm
Bill has given us a "half-a-lOaf" farm measure,
in thta while it killed the flexible prices sup
port system of the Aiken Bill, it also killed
the Brannan Plan which would have passed
on TO the consumre some of the benefits OF
farm price supports
In adopting the Substitute offered by Rep.
Albert Gore, ID, Tenn the House voted to
Ia xtyhip
support of farm prices at rigid 900 parity.
That is, of course, better than no farm aid at
all but am Inclined to agree with Rep. John
W. Mccormack ID Mass) who pointed out
that unless we enact some legislation that
offers the farmer and the consumer an even
break, public opinion eventually will demand
the repeal of impairment of farm legislation.
voted for the Pace Bill which would give
an experimental trial to the Brannan Plan by
allowing a trial run three commodities,
potatoes, eggs and wool. / voted against the
Gore bill because l wanted to see the trial
made.
As I see IL, the farmers of the nation are
entitled to some thinking in Congress toward
bringing up to date our whole program of
farm legislation. In addition to the danger of
adverse public opinion, the farmer has two
very salient points to consider in determining
how farm legislation affects him.
First: In the price support program, when
commodities are purchased in huge quantities
some of the material deteriorates or eventually
has to be destroyed to make room for new
purchases, This is inherent waste that is bad
for our total economy.
Second: The commodities that are pur-
chased by the government are ever a competi-
tive threat to the farmers who grew them.
During the debate in these two bills de-
tected a certain fear that If the Pace Bill were
adopted and the trial run made, the Brannan
Plan might prove workable and successful
Frankly, | don't know whether it would or
not, but was willing to find out After ALL
automobiles of excellent quality are now be-
ing turned out because people who built them
dared to take the risk of experiment