Evening star., 1950-04-09

parity with that of the Industrial
list.
It has a wonderful and tripping
sound to the ear. The farmer is
to be assured a good living and
the consumer is to be assured
ample food at low prices Cat least
that is what the President appar-
emily means when he says Sell
ing at prices consumers can af-
ford).
The catch in the whole propo-
sition. however, lies in the fact
that some one has to pay the
farmer the difference between
what he gets for his food stuffs,
f1bers, ETC.. in the open market,
and the parity price" That
somebody is. of course, the con-
sumer himself and the farmer.
Would 'Enslave' Farmers
If such a program should be
permitted to operate freely, it has
been estimated that the taxpayers
would have billions more dollars
imposed upon them to make these
production payments to the farm
ers. The administration has been
careful about estimating costs
very careful indeed. But others
have run the cost up to S or 6 or
8 billions of dollars a year, all
OF which would be added to the
already towering tax structure the
country now struggles along
under.
Obviously, therefore, the pro-
gram will not be permitted to op-
crate freely" The Government,
IN an attempt to avoid disaster,
will impose acreage allotments
and marketing quotas. It will tell
each farmer how many acres of
wheat, or cotton, or corn he may
plant. how many eggs, cabbages,
potatoes, ETC., he may sell and
when.
Under such circumstances the
Brannan Act, should it ever be
enacted, would become a slave
farm act. Farmers would be COM
pletely under the thumb of the
Government and an army of Fed
eral agents would be on hand to
see that he obeyed every regula-
ton imposed by the Agriculture
Department.
Republican leaders, however,
do not overlook the fact that the
Brannan plan, with it's promise
OF good prices and good living to
the farmer. of security from fall
ing prices, will have a great ap-
peal in agricultural regions. Its
appeal to the consumers, who al
ways think they have to pay
prices far too high for their food
and clothing. will be equally
strong. They are considering
today plans to Offset the argu-
ments which Mr.. Truman and the
supporters Of the Brannan plan
will spread across the country.
Their one hope is that they. can
convince the farmer he will give
up all freedom Of action if he
seeks security" through the
Brannan plan, and that they can
convince the consumers if they
seek low food prices through that
plan. they will be soaked and
soaked hard, through increased
taxes. to obtain that kind of
security.
Mr.. Truman may be counting
on gaining support of the farmers
by frightening them with re-
ports that the consuming lublic
is restive under the present sys-
tenn OF Government price supports
for agriculture. This system takes
surplus crops off the market,
through Government loans and
purchases, thus enabling the
farmers to get more for their pro-
duce. 1t has resulted in the Gov
ernment's taking over millions of
bushels Of potatoes, for example,
which the government mas been
unable to dispose of. and has had
to destroy. Mr.. Truman and
others will tell the farmers that
the consuming public will not
stand for this kind of operation
much longer. and that then the
whole price support system for
the farmers will be thrown out of
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