Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-17

CCO1IOIulC SlGudlIOtl SEupJ6Q 10"
day in a bitter wrangle between
labor and farm spokesman on
the merits of the Eisenhower
farm policy.
The exchange, which took
place before the Joint Congress
Over 3 Million Unemployed, New Census
Survey Reveals. Poqe AZ
sional Committee on the Eco
nomic Report, found CLIO Presi-
dent Walter Reuther implying
the administration is being un-
fair to farmers-and Roger
Fleming, secretary-treasurer Of
the Farm Bureau, arguing that
it is not.
Mr.. Fleming, who followed Mr..
Reuther on the stand. accused
Mr., Reuther of uttering "a lie
made of whole cloth" in con-
tending that only large "busi-
ness-type" farm groups support
the administration flexible price
support program.
Patman Joins Argument.
Representative Patman prompt
ly denounced the farm spokes-
mans language as entirely too
strong"
|. MI. Fleming said Mr.. Reu-
theirs statement about BUSH
ness-type farm groups was part
Of an apparent program to try
to smear the representatives.
Of what consider great insti-
tuition . 1t is lie made Of
the whole cloth, and on behalf
Of our people, resent it ..
There's no truth in it. and it's
about time this fraud being
spread throughout the country
was called % a halt"
Mr.. Reuther at first remarked
amiably that he was willing
to excuse the excessive amount
OF enthusiasm my colleague has
put into his statement" Later,
however. he said he thought Mr..
Fleming'S remarks were "un-
called for and not in good taste"
I'VE are not interested in at
lacking the Farm Bureau or
anybody else" he said
Representative Patman told
Mr.. Fleming that the CLIO is "on
your side and doing more for
the farmers than you're doing
Il deplo:e. the fact" he sail
that any farm group would take
issue with any labor group in
terested lr helping the farmers.
L. S. Chamber Optimistic.
Earlier in the hearings today.
the United States Chamber Of
Commerce, voicing a cheerful
outlook for the Nation econ
. omy, said 1T is difficult TO
see any reason why this country
should ever again experience an
old-fashioned depression"
But Mr.. Reuther called it
dangerous and unrealistic' to
think that spring and the robins
will bring prosperity.
MI. Reuther obviously referred.
in a statement prepared for the
committees seminar today. to
recent predictions by admins
tration spokesman that the
United States economy, which
they contend is adjusting
after the Korean war, will start
turning upward about spring.
The chamber said in its state
ment for the committee that so
far the inevitable readjust-
ment' which it said was bound
to follow the end of fighting in
Korea has been surprisingly
easy"
Studies Presidents Report.
The committee is making its
annual study of the Presidents
economic report. which Mr..
Reuther described as weak
vlsloned document"
The chamber said business in
1854 will be good by any stand
ards established before 1850"
but that it probably will not be
as "buoyant" as in 1858.
The chamber pointed to these
good signs: Strong sources OF
investment and consumer de-
mand remain. Consumer IN
come is still very high. Business
intentions to invest IN new plants
and equipment indicate high
level of capital investment this
year"