Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-11

In a full-chamber record vote
the first of its kind in 20 years
the Senate last Thursday put its
stamp Of approval, 54-41, on the
Eisenhower administrations prip-
ciple of flexible farm supports.
The following day the Senate split
right down the middle, 45-45, on
a question Of special consideration
for wheat farmers and Vice Presi-
dent Nixon stepped into the breach
to save the day for the G. o. P.
General Policy
The question in the first vote
was whether to adopt q farm policy
based on flexible price supports
for basic crops in preference to
one based on rigid supports. The
administration and Secretary Of
Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson favor
flexible props.
The vote brought out every one
of the Senate'S 95 members. Even
the ailing Senator Eugene Millikin,
Republican of Colorado, was there
in a wheel chair. For the first time
since the full Senate voted unani-
mously on January 81, 1886, to
override President Roosevelt's SOL
der bonus veto, every Senator went
on record with an AYE" or "nay."
In the AYE" column voting to knock
out rigid supports, were Al Repub-
Ncans and Is Democrats. Voting
may" were IS Democrats and 6
Republicans.
The Senate defeat of high and
rigid support payments formally
designated the Midwest as the front
line of the 1856 campaign battle
field. 1t is in this area, the Nations
breadbasket. where reside the con-
stituents of nine of the II Republic
can Senators facing reelection this
year and SO of 203 House Republi-
cans.
Special Policy
The second vote gave Mr.. Nixon
the first opportunity of his vice
presidential career to break a
Senate tie on a substantive matter.
He cast two tie-breakers in single
day in June, 1858. but these were
on procedural questions not direct
ly involving the passage of legisla-
ton.
The question before the Senate
was whether to insure growers Of
millable wheat the protection Of 80
per cent of parity. The administra-
ton opposes such special treat
ment. A Senate clerk reported the
roll call as 46 to As in favor of
killing this special protection.
Democratic Leader Lyndon john
son claimed an error. citing Dem
ocratic tally clerks record of As to
As the other way.
Mr. Nixon conceded an error had
been made. but said it was a 45-45
tie. The roll was called again, and
sure enough, Mr.. Nixon was right.
Over Democratic protests he then
cast the deciding vote, breaking the
tie in favor of the administration
position against millable wheat
supports.
It was on this vote that special
regional interests became more ap-
parent than ever. Six wheat-State
Senators who had voted against
rigid general supports reversed
themselves to vote for fixed props
on millable wheat.
Although there we're many other
features to be voted on in this hefty
omnibus farm bill, the votes on the
supports amendments clearly out
lined the Governments farm policy
for the next two years. As en-
visioned by the administration, this
policy would drastically reduce the
present $8-billion mountain OF
stored surplus crops. prevent over
production in the future, enrich the
Nations farmland, and Eventually
put more money into the pockets OF
farmers.
Republicans had hoped the Agri-
culture Department would be able
to get soil bank checks to the
farmers close to election time, but
It was generally believed that 1t IL
now too late for this.
The champions Of supports ct 90