Evening star., 1949-09-16
Foreign Wheat Plan
Betrayal Of Farmer,
6. 0.P. Senators Say
By the Assoeioted Press


Republican Senators today as
sailed administration plans to let
Britain buy Canadian wheat with
Marshall Plan dollars as a betrayal
of the American farmer.
1.-THE administration is COM
pletely disregarding the surpluses
we have in this country and disre-
garding the spirit and letter Of
the Economic Cooperation Act"
said Senator Hickenlooper. Re-
publican, of Iowa. Other Republi-
can lawmakers expressed similar
views.
But there was considerable
doubt that any concerted effort
would be made to block the agree
ment designed to help Britain out
of its current dollar crisis. The
amount of Marshall Plan money
involved is $175,000.000.
Secretary of Agriculture Bran
nan. who indorsed the plan. ap-
peared before the Senate Agricul-
ture Committee several days ago
to outline the administration S
viewpoint.
Chairman Elmer Thomas told a
reporter the meeting was attended
by about five Senators and mo-
body who was there protested"
He emphasized, however, that this
did not necessarily mean complete
approval of the idea.
Wherry Gives Views
Minority Leader Wherry. an
outspoken critic of the plan,
said he doubts, if it would be
practical to try to prevent the pur-
chase through an amendment to
the ECA appropriation bill, which
has not yet been approved in final
form.
Senator Wherry said he thinks
the plan means difference be-
tween having an American wheat
surplus and not having one.
But Mr.. Brannan, in a letter to
ECA Administrator Paul G. Hoff-
man, said the Agriculture Depart
ment foresees no adverse effects
on the American economy in the
Canadian wheat purchases.
1--WE believe" Mr.. Brannan said,
"that the financing by ECA of q
portion of the wheat moving un-
der the United Kingdom-Cana-
dian agreement will not diminish
the overall exports of United
States wheat but may even result
In a slight increase.
Senator Butler, Republican, of
Nebraska, called the agreement
an "abject betrayal of the Ameri-
can farmer"
Brannan Criticized
Senator Hickenlooper used
equally strong terms.
Secretary Brannan Is now be-
coming conspirator to use Amer
tcan dollars for the purchase of
wheat in other places while we at
home have it piling up on the
ground" he said.
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
Of Michigan said the program is
the kind Of thing that might force
Congress to put restrictions on
ECA loans lest "too much dis
cretion" be left in the hands of
the administration.
But another Republican, Sena-
tor Aiken of Vermont, took a
different stand.
Il don't think that it will seri-
ously affect the amount of wheat
to be exported" he observed, add
ing that 1t Is important to this
country that Canadian prices don't
collapse.
Senator Aiken said the only
question in his mind about the
agreement concerns its legality
and he didn't want to discuss that.
Senator Byrd. Democrat of Vir-
ginia, described the agreement as
a continuation of what he called
the trend to spend more and
more money" outside the United
States. ~-s
Claims Wheat in Surplus.
Senator. Anderson, Democrat, of
New Mexico, said he thought the
matter would have to be looked
into.
"It can make quite a bit of diff
ference to our wheat picture" he
said, adding that he though there
had been a "very clear under
standing" in testimony by Agri-
culture and ECA officials before
the Agriculture Committee that
wheat is In surplus in the United
States.