Evening star., 1954-08-11
President Is Pleased
By Farm Bill; Sees
No Political Victory
By Allen Drury

passage Of the administrations
farm bill in the Senate and said
he did not regard it as q par
tisan victory.
The President told his weekly
news conference that this. was
. not a political victory but mere
~ another step in q program
designed to aid the long -range
welfare OF the American farmer.
He said Chairman Aiken Of
the Senate Agriculture Commit
i. tee and the Senate Republican
leadership did a remarkable job
In plotting the bill through. In
general. he said, he was well
satisfied with the measure al
though there are some points he
would like ironed out in con-
ference.
Wants Dairy Plan Left Alone.
In particular, the President
said. he would like to see the
dairy program left alone.
In other press conference de-
velopments, the President:
/. Said he had not yet had
time to study the Senate House
conference report on the atomic
energy bill. which is threatening
to start a new debate in the
Senate.
Q. Said the subject of possible
national legislation dealing with
racial integration in the schools
has not even been mentioned to
him.
8. Described. the general eco
nomic outlook for the Govern
ment in coming months as one,
Of reduced income but also as
one Of reduced expenditures,
and promised to release in the
next few days a statistical study
OF the national economy. Gen I
Eisenhower said that most of
the figures in the study were
quite hopeful.
4. Said he has not worked out
In his own mind what the for
mula should be by which States
should contribute when the Fed
eral Government gives them dis
aster relief aid, but he said he
believed that If the Federal Gov
ernment contributes it should
have the right to say that the
program be economically adj
ministered. Il
Final passage of the farm bill
last night by a 62-28 vote ended
flve days of frequently heated
debate. It marked VIC
tory for Gen. Eisenhower
and Secretary Of Agriculture
Benson. who had insisted that
continuation Of the rigid s0-per-
cent-of-parity price supports In
present law would qthreaten q
stable farm economy and bring
still bigger surpluses in Governs
ment storage bins. Il II
Originally. the administrator
sought a sliding scale of price
supports based on rs to 90 per
cent Of parity. the legal formula
which is calculated to give farm
ers a fair return for their crops.
The House, however, adopted
sliding scale ranging from 82k-
30 per cent, and Gen. Eisen-
hover hailed it as a sweeping
victory. The Senate adopted
the same formula on Monday by
q vote of 1914.
Reduction Of Surplus.
Administration forces argued
successfully that flexible price
supports would help to reduce
some So billion worth of surplus
commodities and encourage
farmers to adjust their produc-
ton to market demands. Sup
ports are provided for five
basic" crops: Cotton, corn.
wheat. rice and peanuts. A
sixth crop. tobacco, also is sup
ported at 80 per cent, under
separate law.
Approval of the price formula
by both houses removes it as an
issue in conference. But several
other differences must be ironed
out before the bill can receive
Congress final vote and go to
Gen. Eisenhower for his sig
nature.
The only administration set
back last night came on a vote
to revoke an order by Secretary
Benson that farmer committee
men may not serve more than
three consecutive one year
terms.
These committeeman. elected
by farmers, administer the soil
conservation. acreage allotment
and other Federal farm pro-
grams at community. county
and State levels.
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