Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-17


telerision address on the far
! want to talk tonight mainly
with you farm folks, with you
men and women on the farms
OF America. But the subject Of
my talk is of vital concern TO
all Of you-whether you live on
q farm or ranch, in a small
village or in a great city.
My subject involves our food
aud fiber supply. 1t concerns
the well-being of our farm fami-
lleS-the very foundation of a
strong America. This is motor
certainly should not be--a parti-
san matter. l personally shall
never treat it as such and l will
always resist any attempt to
make the farmer and his prob
lens a political football.
AS you know. today I found
1t necessary to return the farm
bill to the Congress without my
approval.
I took the action with a sense
Of deep disappointment.
Tonight I want to talk with
you about my decision.
=. Truth is: ! had no choice.
! could not sign this bill be-
couse it was q bad BILL. d"
I know you are depending on
me to tell you the truth as I see
it-and the truth is: I had no
choice. l could not sign this bill
into law because it was a bad
bill. In the months ahead, it
would hurt more farmers than
1t would help. In the long run
1t would hurt all farmers.
II was a bad bill for the coun-
try. 1t was confusing-in some
aspects self-defeating, and so
awkward and clumsy as to make
its administration difficult or
impractical,
The failure to get a good farm
law that We worked so hard for.
hoped for and expected, leaves
us with but two courses of ac-
ton; First, we shall use the
administrative tools we now have
at our command to help farm
ers get more of the income they
deserve on this years crops. Sec
ond. we shall look to the Con-
gresS to enact the soil bank I
asked for in January.
III have more to say on both
these points just a little later
In this talk.
AT the moment, I want to 20
back bit. You will remember
that early in January, more than
three months ago, sent a spe-
clal message to Congress recon-
intending an expanded nine-point
farm program. including a soil
bank which would reduce sur
pluses and improve our basic
resource-the soil. These farm
measures were a vital part of a
broad program which the ad-
ministration presented to the
Congress for the health and
growth of our entire economy.
-. Special message wos
developed with help Of
farmers. 1t wos your
proorom.
The farmer had real interest
In the entire program. for his
sales and prices depend. first of
all. on the prosperity of all Amer
lea. And likewise. the country's
prosperity cannot be healthy
without healthy and prosperous
agriculture.
am pleased that the Con-
efess has already acted on sew
eral of my agricultural requests,
such as the refund on the Fed
eral gas tax, increased funds for
the special school milk program,
and funds for the eradication
of brucellosis-a menace to the
health of our people.
The special message I sent to
the Congress was not thought up
In Washington Office. 1t was
developed with the indispensable
help Of farmers from the grass
roots Of America. 1t was your
program In it were the thoughts
of farm men and women from
all sections of our country. I
urged speedy passage Of the soil
bank along with the other re-
quested measures.
MY reasons were simple:
First. farmers generally were
not-and are not-getting fair
return for their work. Farm fam
ilies, almost alone of our people.
are not sharing as they should
In the record prosperity of our
Nation.
Secondly. farm families de-
serve better break because OF
heavy investments they have in
land and equipment. the many
risks they take, and the sweat
they put into their Jobs. Our
farmers are the most efficient
ip the'world. In no other country
do so few people produce SO
much food to feed so many at
such reasonable prices to con-
sumers.
:. +. Our Government owes the
formers help. SurpIuses ore
our main problem"
"A third reason for my January
message to Congress was that