Show From Our Exchange Desk still inviting surpluses From The Christian Science Monitor New figures on mounting crop surpluses and costs for federal subsidies have prompted President Eisenhower's ers er's decision to take the issue to the public before Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress meets again Failing this year to obtain any reform of the support price program he apparently hopes to get action action as as with labor reform reform- by marshaling public ion This is not an impossible task The situation has be- be fony o plus production with price guarantees is becoming clearer to the public A large part of the farm population itself decries the program Indeed four-fifths four of American agriculture operates and quite successfully outside his program Also it is only a fraction of farmers who get the great grent part of government subsidies Take wheat for ex ex- ample The Commodity Credit Corporation now has more mare than 3 3 billion invested in surplus w wheat heat This costs taxpayers taxpayers taxpayers tax tax- payers about 15 million a day in interest storage and handling charges Every bushel sold adds to the loss And according to secretary Benson Bensen only G per cent gent of American farmers benefit from this operation Moreover a very large portion of these are big growers who can make a profit without a subsidy Most farmers along with other citizens are taxed twice Once twice to pay the subsidies again by artificially high prices Two now remain about price supports supports sup sup- i ports How much longer will Americans tolerate them Will Congress still stilt seeking to to ease the lot of farmers pinched by the technological revolution in agriculture turn to other equally foolish plans The President knows that the tho sound approach is la to move away from controls toward a n freer market while giving farmers help fitted to special or emergency needs We hope he ho can arouse the American people to press more vigorously for such a n course |