Show I THE E DAILY FT I Financial Whirligig g I Written n for Zor The Tho Telegram 4 I By By JAMES mS McMULLIN l NEW YORK New York opponents of A A A Aare Aare are elated For the first time in the brief but controversial history of that collection of initials initials in- in it has backed down on a major project The abandoned brain child is the official plan for federal regulation of milk production The reason it was quietly dropped diplomatic niceties niceties nice nice- ties was aside because it didn't go over with the milk farmers and especially with those from New York state Its sponsors round found out for before it was that adopted there wasn't the remotest chance it could be enI en- en I forced i An entirely new milk marketing plan will willbe be introduced in time but the next one will willbe be prepared in collaboration n with milk producers producers pro pro- instead of springing fun full from Washington's which brain w will ll make a vast difference Meanwhile state milk control boards win will be encouraged to strut their stuff independent of Secretary Wallaces Wallace's tion The key to the New York farmer reaction was shown in the attendance record of two meetings held in Syracuse under A A AA A aus- aus The first drew about upstate te milk the producers second less than The significant point is that up to now the theA theA A A A has stood by its program without giving an inch and hasn't hesitated to call upon the laws law's big stick for help with enforcement This in contrast to N R As A's tactics of conciliation Now that a dent has been made in its armor enemies of regimentation have high hopes of forcing further concessions to individualism A Very Screwy Idea An unexpected and apparently trivial incident inci- inci dent during one of the Syracuse meetings had hada a lot to do with alienating New York agriculturists agriculturists from the agricultural administration A young farmer arose on the floor and wanted to have bave it made clear whether the government government gov- gov was proposing to pay him for milk he didn't produce or simply for milk he didn't sell The A A A representative told him the latter Then he wanted to know whether he could feed his calves th the milk for which he was paid but didn't sell The farm audience saw the point at once What fun it would b be to get a bonus for milk which could be used to raise more cattle to produce pro duce still more unwanted milk that would can call for another government contribution instead of sale and so on ad infinitum The A A A man ducked the question by saying saying say say- ing it would be taken up later It So the farmers informally but collectively decided they wanted no part of a program based on what seemed to them screwy ideas Upstate milk producers have little openly in common with Wall street corporations Yet men in the latter gleefully see in the farmers farmers' repudiation of AA A policies a slap at Tugwell socialism comparable to the first shot at Lex- Lex ington They admit its it's treason arid and they intend to make the most of it They are confident farm disaffection can be spread through the eastern states at least One Afraid Other The setup of the broad inquiry into the relations rela- rela between utility and other lobbies and New NewYork NewYork York state legislator has its neat angles For one thing the membership of the investigating investigating committee is composed of Republicans and Democrats in exactly equal numbers That makes it impossible for either party to dig up dirt at the others other's expense without running the risk of retribution Then the customary prerogative of any in- in individual member of the committee to demand the prod prodUction of specific witnesses and Ind records has been abrogated The new arrangement calls caUs for a 1 majority vote be before ore a subpoena can be issued So either Democratic or Republican members must gain the support of at lct one member of the opposing party to get any ac- ac which tion-which confIrms the probability that action action ac- ac tion will be nix The committee will do o plenty of splashing but its it's an odds on bet it wOnt wOn't reach any r destination A new complication in the contest contest con con- test for counsel to the committee Apart from the rivalry between Pecora and McCauley McCauley- which might be settled by naming McCauley as Pecora's Kingsland assistant Macy is insisting that either Seabury or Federal ex-Federal District Attorney Attorney At- At torney should be given the job Seabury Seabury Sea Sea- bury has as much chance for it ns as Jimmy Walker Valker but might possibly be put over through a compromise Macy cannot be safely are arc plenty of legis- legis If tors who regret the fact gets eis a break from the copper code Its It's the only large company with a production production tion quota higher than its 1933 output S S General Foods and Standard Standa d Brands are doing do- do lag ing welt well Insiders talk of a larger dividend for both before e the year is out IL I 8 10 1 1 S i p |