Evening star., 1953-02-24
Federal Ownership
OF STA Billion Foods
Dismays Senators
By jones (. Roper

By jones E. Roper
Senators looking into the Gov
ernment larder were dismayed
today to find Uncle Sam owns
$l.4 billion worth of farm prod
ucts-mostly stuff that could go
into your market basket.
And the Government is COM
mitted to spend millions more
to buy farm items and put them
in storage to keep prices higher.
Millions of dollars worth of other
products will be stored under
loan.
Buying Curb Attempted.
Agriculture Department Off
cials promised to try to curb
some of the buying and sell
some commodities already
bought, if it can be done without
upsetting markets.
The department, meanwhile,
studied adVisability of buying
beef that would be given to the
school lunch program. Such an
emergency purchasing arrange
ment was suggested by a House
Agriculture subcommittee and
approved by the full committee
yesterday, Committee Chairman
Hope. Republican, of Kansas,
disclosed.
The school lunch angle did not
come up for discussion at a Sen
ate Agriculture Committee meet
ing. But Mr.. Hope said his group
would discuss the matter with
Secretary Benson in connection
with proposed four. point pro-
gram for developing more out
lets, foreign as we'll as domestic,
for United States farm commodi-
ties.
Heavy on Butter.
The Senate Agriculture Com
mittee called in newly in
stalled officials of the Ag-
ricultural Department to out
line the price support situa-
ton as Republicans took power.
For one thing, said Production
and Marketing Administrator
Howard H. Gordon, the Govern
ment IN recent months has
bought 70 million pounds of but
ter, and may have to buy 40
or so million pounds more by
March 81.
AS another part Of the program
to support milk prices, the Gov
ernment has bought nearly 18
million pounds of cheddar cheese
and will buy 20 to 80 million
pounds more. Dried milk is fall
ing on the Agriculture Depart
ment like a snowstorm-86 mil
lion pounds so far with so to 80
million more pounds to come.
What are you going to do
with it alp" asked Senator East
land, Democrat, of Mississippi.
We've got committee work.
Ing on it," replied Mr.. Gordon,
THE committee will have to
eat butter pretty fast" moaned
Senator Williams, Republican, of
Delaware.
Senator Eastland, who didn't
think that was funny. suggested
the United States trade this but
ter for the guns we're buying
abroad.
Mr.. Gordon blamed good
weather and the unexplained
overenthusiasm of dairy COWS for
part of the butter surplus. But
man-made machines are turning
out the dried milk-and, Mr.
Gordon admitted, the reason was
partly to keep processing ma
chimes busy.
The equipment was installed
during World War II. Dried
milk isn't needed now, but the
machines like uncontrolled mon
sters, keep whirring out their
white powder.
Sales at Loss Possible.
Uncle Sam buys about 10 per
cent of the output. paying Is to
II cents per pound. About the
only way to get rid of it, Mr.
Gordon said. is to sell it to Israel
or the United Nations Children's
Fund for S cents per pound, or to
animal feeders at 10 to IL cents
per pound.
Laws require support of dairy
prices at some level between rs
and 80 per cent of parity.
Charles F. Brannan, as Demo-
cratic Secretary of Agriculture,
set the support level at 80 per
cent until March 81. After that.
Republican Secretary of Agricul-
ture Benson must decide what
to do.
Mr.. Gordon and John H.
Davis. president of the Govern
ment's Commodity Credit Corp,
went down the list of the things
Uncle Sam buys and stores to
support prices-wheat, corn, cot
ton products, linseed, tung and
olive oil. Also peanuts, oats.
barley, rye, grain sorghums.
Also soybeans, f1axseed, tobacco,
turpentine and rosin, wool and
seeds for various cover crops.
Price Controls Cited.
MIR. Gordon. under G. o. P.
questioning, testified that the
Government held edible beans in
warehouses or shipped them
overseas at cut rates at the same
time the Democratic admins
tratlon was asking Congress for
WRsRInGI0n .J0T