Evening star., 1950-02-25
Potato Supports Kept
As Lucas Loses Fight
For Rigid Controls
BY the Assoeiafsd Press


Most potato growers could count
today on continued Government
price support on this years crop,
despite efforts to halt them in a |
move to prevent future surpluses.
A combination of % Republi-
cans and Is Democrats last night
beat down a proposal Of Senate
Majority Leader Lucas to remove
potato price props until Congress
and growers agreed to rigid plant
ing and marketing controls.
Instead, the Senate approved,
43 to IS, a plan which its author,
Senator Aiken, Republican. of
Vermont, said would Continue
price supports in almost all COM
mercial areas unless growers re-
ject marketing agreements and
orders"
Farm Bill Action Deferred.
Senator Lucas had threatened
earlier to keep Senator'S in session
far into the night to complete &C
ton on the potato price props as
well as a cotton acreage measure
to which it was attached.
But after defeat of his proposal
he postponed final action on the
farm bill until Monday.
Meanwhile, a proposal for using
surplus potatoes was made today
by Representative Lovre, Repub-
lican, of South Dakota. He wrote
Secretary of Agriculture Brannon
asking him to increase the ration
of surplus potatoes to needy per-
sons.
Mr.. Lovre said only 35 pounds
OF potatoes month are given
each needy family. He urged that
the allotments should be in 100
pound units.
Wants to Relieve Suffering.
"The supply (of potatoes, to
livestock feeders is unlimited"
Mr.. Lovre wrote the secretary,
"yet the ration to needy persons
three ounces a day-is not suf-
ficient for even the barest dietary
requirements.
when there are persons in
need of food and when the de-
partment has it available, ac-
quired at taxpayers expense,
feel it should be channeled to
relieve suffering"
The Aiken substitute measure
adopted yesterday bans potato
price supports unless growers are
under either marketing agree
ments and orders. or quotas au-
thorized later by law.
Senator Aiken conceded that
the marketing agreements and
orders-which merely limit the
size and quantity of potatoes and
times they move to market
would be less effective in prevent
ing surpluses than the more rigid
controls Senator Lucas asked.
Substitute Called Futile"
Senator Lucas shouted that the
Aiken substitute was futile and
meaningless" and would offer no
solution to production of surplus
potatoes which the Government
cannot sell or even give away
Senator Aiken, with support
from some Southern Democrats,
including Senator Byrd of Vir-
ginia and Hoey Of North Caro-
lima, countered with a claim that
Senator Lucas was asking the
Government to go back on its
promises" in the middle of a crop
season.
They said Congress last year
authorized potato supports. the
Agriculture Department already
had announced rates. and growers
had bought seed and fertilizer.
Senator Aiken said Secretary Of
Agriculture Brannan had author
ity last year to use the marketing
agreement and orders but had not
done so. He added that most
commercial potato areas this year
already have approved these con-
trolls over marketing.
Import Ban Opposed.
An amendment offered by SEN
ator Wherry. Republican, of Me-
braska, set off another hot argu-
ment. Senator Wherry wanted a
directive to President Truman to
cut of all potato imports when
ever this country had a surplus or
faced one. A vote on this proposal
is expected early Monday.