THE CONGRESS: Growing Wheat

Another wheat harvest is gathering momentum, adding inexorably to the $3.5 billion worth of government-owned farm surpluses already piled up in granaries and storage warehouses.

Last week Congress ignored President Eisenhower’s search for a way to cure crop surpluses. Instead, without a record vote, House members whooped through a bill permitting sale abroad of $1 billion in farm surpluses, plus famine relief gifts of $300 million more. So hot was the fervor to unload that Congressmen struck from the bill a provision for “reasonable precautions” against any smashing of normal trade patterns by U.S. dumping abroad.

Acting to stem a further flood of wheat into storage,. Farm Secretary Ezra Taft Benson this week ordered a 13% cutback in next year’s planting acreage. In what he acknowledged as perhaps the strictest control plan in U.S. farm history, Benson also ordered farmers to comply with planting allotments on all their crops for which restrictions may be set in order to qualify for price-support aid on any crop. Though he “greatly regrets” such action, Benson said he has “no immediate choice” under present crop conditions.

Earlier the House Agriculture Committee voted, 21 to 8, for a year’s extension of the main cause of surpluses: high, rigid price supports opposed by the President. House Republicans favor by 2 to 1 the Administration’s plea for flexibility in support prices (high when crops are short, lower when the bins are bursting). But with Southern Democrats solidly aligned for mandatory, high supports, the power of decision lies with some 50 Northern, city Democrats who have traditionally stood with their Dixie brethren.

Last week the Senate: ¶After long consideration, amended the 1928 Standard Container Act by legalizing a smaller, round stave, ⅜-bu. basket for fruits and vegetables. Already legal are ⅜-bu. baskets made of splints, but, explained Florida’s Spessard Holland, these are less satisfactory for tree-ripened fruit. ¶ Passed a $29 billion defense appropriation after voting down, 38 to 50, Massachusetts’ John Kennedy’s attempt to add $350 million to keep the Army at its present 19-division strength. Michigan’s Homer Ferguson argued that the cost of continuing the two divisions at issue would be $870 million and mean the drafting of an additional 260,000 men.