The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1957-06-20

pl OSl dII1 Id COlillilEs
apart and the politicians are argu-
ing over whether to patch it again,
or junk it.
A majority Of Congressman have
contended since 1855 that the
Eisenhower Benson approach was
unsound. Secretary of Agriculture
Ezra Benson recently sent letter
to Congress conceding at least
partial failure.
Backers of the present farm pro-
gram plead guilty to three major
indictments. 1t has not Cd raised
farm income. t2) reduced excessive
production, or 90 lowered food
costs to consumers.
Acreage allotments have been
reduced almost $3.50 in four years.
but total farm production has in
creased steadily. Price supports
have been reduced an average of
239o but that hasn't discouraged
production, either. And, not by
coincidence, farm debt has risen
229o.
Certainly not all Of the blame
can be placed on this Administra-
ton. 1t inherited a situation that
was getting worse by the day, and
had been for at least three years.
It hasn't, however, improved.
Since 1851 net farm income from
marketings has dropped by one
third. Non-farm income has in
creased by about the same percent
age, and farm production costs
have hit new record highs in each
of the last years. Farm pur-
chasing power from income after
production costs ha- been cut al
most in half.
Something else, almost equally
disturbing. has been happening
For six years now earned net farm
income from marketinge has been
declining, while government pay
ments, both direct and indirect.
have been increasing.
Congress this year will vote ap-
proximately S5,000000,O00 (more
than $1,000 per farmer, for the
USDA 1858 fiscal year budget That
Is considerably less than the Ad-
ministration asked for, but it still
Is by far the largest ever appro-
priated.
Farm program 0olicy is bank
rupt, by almost any standard you
want to measure it. The politicians
have two oblectives. First, to fix
the blame and, second, to develop
a new program Work on the first
has begun, and the second is sched-
uled for next year.
Trying to fix blame, on either
political party, will be a waste OF
time and effort There are more
than 1000 farm laws on the books
now. most of thetl passed in the
last 25 years with bipartisan back
ing, Most Of them arr amendments
tpatcheS and patches on patchesl
Of laws previously passed
There are scores of laws most
farmers never heard Of There are
some that few congressman know
about There are $4,000 Federal
employees to interpret. administer
and enforce farm laws. There is at
least as much confusion and dupli-
cation as you might expect.
What will happen next? Moth
ing this year. Next yearp All signs
point to slam bang, free for-an
battle royal with nothing barred.
The whole farm program win be
up for grabs
There are, as they say in Wash
ington, three schools Of thought. !"
First, Benson will want unlimited
authority to make changes in price
supports and acreage allotments.
Second. backers of high, rigid
price supports will be in there
pitching Consensus, though, Is
that 1856, when they passed
mandatory 906 of parity bill, only
to have it vetoed. was their high
water marx
Third, and rated most likely to
succeed, are proposals for COM
bination Of compensatory pay
ments tas in wool and sugar. and
self supporting tWo-price Domes-
tic parity programs for such ex-
portable crops as cottoo, wheat and
rice. This is the commodity-by-
commodity approach