Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-22


would have framed and passed
a sound farm bill this year.
Let's go back to the guidelines
President Eisenhower laid
down"
,Raps White House
Mr.. Halleck blamed the
White House much more than
House Democratic leaders for
the rejection Of the adminiStra-
ton bill.
81 think Speaker Mccormack
and Majority Leader Albert did
admirably with what they
had" he said. 81 want to en-
phasize that the Republicans
did not engage in any twisting
Of arms, nothing compared to
the administration tactics"
Il also want to make clear
that we never took negative
position. The administration
bill was thoroughly bad. The
American farmers understand
this and know what our posi-
ton is. They will support us in
what we have DONE"
Mr.. Halleck took a swipe at
what he called "the farmers
friend in the White House,
Pierre Salinger." He charged
that the Presidents press sec
rotary uttered a completely
phony assertion" in claiming
that the administration bill
would have saved 81 billion q |
year.
The last-minute crash by a |
10-vote margin occurred last
night when the measure seemed
to be coasting to a close but |
safe landing. The defeat raised
Democratic fears that it would
endanger chances Of other ma
jor legislation.
Even the bills hackers adj
Initted a stunning blow was
dealt to the Kennedy admin
istration. a.
The basic issue and by far
the most controversial feature
Of the bill was whether manda-
tory acreage reductions, mar
keting quotas and price sup
ports should be applied for
the first time to wheat and
feed grains such as corn and
oats. y
Little Chance Seen
House committee members
indicated today there was little
chance that any further at
tempt would be made to pass a
farm bill in the House this year.
This would mean that present
voluntary control legislation
would revert to q 1858 law
which Democrats commended
was largely to blame for huge !
crop surpluses.
A White House statement last
night declared that the de-
feat Of the administration bill
will cost the taxpayers Of the
United States 81 billion next !
year" Tin surplus storage COSTS i
The statement warned that the |
House action would return the
country to the ruinous deficit |
farm programs with accompa-
lnying growth in our already
staggering 50 billion surplus
situation" s.ease
ut is regrettable," the state
ment declared that the Repub-
lican members Of the House,
with only one exception, chose
to make a party issue of this
matter instead Of voting in the
national interest. They will
have to bear the responsibility
for the continuing chaos in our
agricultural surplus situation"
Leaders Lulled
The statement did not men
ton the 48 Democrats who
voted to kill the bill.
House Democratic leaders APP
parently were lulled into q sense
Of security earlier last night |
when a 224-122 vote defeated |
a Republican substitute pro-
poSal which would have con-
tinued for one year the present |
voluntary controls.
In the course Of almost 10
hours Of wrangling over nu-
merous proposed amendments,
some Of which apparently were
drafted on the House floor in
an effort to win votes Of wav-
ering Democrats, the leaders
huddled to determine whether
to put off a final vote until
today. This idea was aban-
doned because the bills chances
seemed improved and because
1t would have been difficult to
get a big attendance today.
| A sign that all was not wen
with the bill, however, ap-
peared late in the afternoon
; in a long and bitter debate on
an amendment proposed by
Representative AbernethyI
Democrat Of Mississippi, to ex-
lclude production controls on
grains used solely to feed live
stock and poultry on farms
where such crops were grown.
This was defeated on a voice
vote but it showed a wide split
in Democratic ranks.
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