FARMERS: Bill Kill Bill

Long ago—in the early spring of 1924—Congress embarked upon the task of succoring the farmer. Two plans were vigorously suggested: 1) the McNary-Haugen bill which provided for a huge Government brokerage corporation to buy the farmers’ crops and virtually fix the market prices, operating expenses being paid by an equalization fee (crop tax), collected from the farmers; 2) the Norbeck-Burtness bill which would aid the agrarian by lending him Government money.

As everyone knows, these two bills fought each other to death. The Administration, being convinced that the McNary-Haugen bill was radical & dangerous, fought it to the last ditch where President Coolidge killed it with his veto, last winter (TIME, March 7).

But bills can always rise again, as long as Congress meets again. There is every indication that the McNary-Haugenites will fight for their bill (or a similar substitute) at the next session of Congress. The Administration, too, announced last week that it would push a new farm relief bill which Secretary of Agriculture William M. Jardine, Secretary of Commerce Herbert C. Hoover, Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas, Eugene Meyer, head of the Federal Farm Loan Board, and others have been formulating during the summer.

This bill is a stupendous elaboration of the Administration’s bygone bills for lending money to cooperative farmers. It provides for the creation of a Federal Farm Board of three members, with advisory councils. These men will establish commodity stabilization corporations—one for each important crop. The Government will lend $250,-000,000 to these corporations, so that they may purchase crops in the open market during periods of depression. To cooperative farming associations, the Government will lend $25,000,000 to buy equipment, warehouses, etc.; $25,000,000 for operating expenses.

Will this Administration bill satisfy farmers and legislators who favor the McNary-Haugen bill?

It will not—was the opinion of Senator Capper of Kansas, publisher of the Topeka Daily Capital and Capper’s Weekly (farmers’tabloid), who last week visited President Coolidge at Rapid City. Senator Capper believes that the equalization fee is essential to farm relief, hopes that a compromise bill can be agreed upon ‘by the Administration and the McNary-Haugenites.

A compromise between these two groups would be something new.