Milford chronicle., 1958-01-03
THE SECOND SESSION


country-as many have already realized.
The situation which confronts the 435
Representatives and 96 Senators is COM
plex and critical one. 1t is complex on the
farm 'front.' on the economic front, on the de-
fense front and on the political front (con-
gressional elections are due in 1859.
But the last few days have proven that
the thing the second session of the 85th Con-
gress will be most remembered for is how
it reacts to the greatest threat to u. S. secur-
ity in the history of the republic
For there is no longer any doubt that u.
S. security is gravely periled.
Some are proposing that we spend up to
fifteen billions more in national defense fields
alone in the coming fiscal years The aver
age citizen has no idea what tremendous
difference such a spending program would
make in his life.
Deficit spending would have to be under
taken to a large degree and imitation would
surely follow. Controls might even be neces-
sary in certain segments of the economy.
The Eisenhower Administration, of
course, is not going to propose to spend ff-
teen billion dollars more than is being spent
in the current fiscal year approximately 72
billions). Nor is the Administration going
to propose that thirteenth additional billions
be spent-the amount recommended by
highly-competent committee which recently
studied the prospect of what might happen
to us in case of war with the Soviet Union.
But the Administration will propose to
spend several billion dollars more than in
the past year and Congress will probably in
crease that. Some non-tlefense expenditures
will be cut out altogether.
This then is the big issue for the second
session of the 85th Congress-how much can
we afford to spend and not to spend?
FARM FIGHT CERTAIN AGAIN
A farm fight is once again certain in Con-
gress, thanks partly to the unusually large
wheat crop which has been officially predict
ed
Once again the efforts of Secretary of
Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson, to hold down
production of a vital farm crop, have failed.
The wheat yield this year is expected to be
20.6 bushels-highest yield on record
The crop is expected to total 906,272,000
bushels. Such a crop naturally seriously
threatens to complicate the already-serious
farm problem facing the nation, especially
the problem concerning surpluses.
Benson has announced he will have many
farm legislation recommendations ready for
the second session of the 85th Congress. But
the chairman of the House Agriculture Com
mittee, Democrat Harold Cooley (NC) says
they will be junked
Cooley and surprising number of Re-
publicans, feel that Benson's approach to the
surplus problem is all wet. More and more
legislators want two-price. structure for
several of the countries farm products. The
best feature of the plan, and there are sew
eral good features to it, is that a farmer
would be given price support for a certain
quantity of certain crop.
He could plant as much as he liked, but
all raised over this quantity would have to
be sold on the free market-perhaps the
world market. That would maintain the sup
port price for our farmers and enable some
to make profit on the free market with an
additional crop.
1t would also enable manufacturers to
buy farm goods and products (such as cot
tom more cheaply, and be able to compete
better with foreign producers. We hope this
two-price structure will get Congress- nod
and that President Eisenhower will not veto
it. If Benson does not get what he wants, it
would seem wise for the Administration to
try Congress suggestions this time.
&S11G<
TO BE RESOLUTE
The New Years resolution has been the
butt of innumerable jokes, most of them CEN
tering about the idea that resolution are
made only to be broken. Perhaps as a result
of this, the custom of resolving to improve
ones behavior in this way or that during the
coming year has declined somewhat Still,
it is good custom.
Americans do not seem to take themselves
quite as seriously as they used to, and on the
whole that may be a good thing. Yet this
is time for seriousness and high resolve.
1t is time when, recognizing that 1857 was |
a year of SetbackS, we must determine to |
focus our thoughts and energies on the main
task of working to strengthen and defend the
way of freedom
To be resolute, that is the thing. Not only
to make high resolutions, but to have reso-
luton = determination firmness, constancy
of purpose. 1t is all right to make jokes about |
broken resolutions to quit smoking or eating
bonbons. But when it comes to freedom and
human dignity, and the tests to which they
will be subjected in the year ahead, jokes are
out of place. We must be high-minded and
resolute.