| Show r iL o d e ei i L Is Ma Made e T Targe t t Of Farm Policy Critics Attack on Agriculture Chief Seen as a Continuation of Farm Bureau Assault II On Farm Security Administration By BAUKHAGE News Analyst and Commentator Ji f Service Union Trust Building Washington D D. D C C. C r You will read In your favorite it newspaper that congress is out to t get Secretary of Agriculture r The reason being offered is Theres going to be a food shortage and hes he's responsible That isn't the half of it il itIn I j In the first place the folks who i have been leaning back with their ii feet on the Washington cracker bar ref rel and watching administrations u- u wars and panics come and go arent aren't taking th these se fiery flery debates these charges and counter charges too se se- se- se r i. i The fight in congress today on the ther r surface is the farm bureau the big farmer who isn't so big in many t cases versus One layer 4 7 f below the surface you'll hear it ity y ca o. o called the fight of the extension P services against the Farm Security administration Back in the crack- crack 4 k- k er-barrel er corner its it's just the fight i r p against the administration and what's left of the New DeaL t t. t C Criticism p Political 0 I. I I One of f these old timers shifted l r 3 l hi his stogie t took k down his is feet and andS j S- S said soud to me This is just politics The idea Mea is that 1944 is coming up and if il you are an honest out youve you've got to do all you can to discredit the ins I think will weather x t the storm The Farm bureau people peor peoa peo peo- a r R pIe have nothing against him except k as a symbol of the administration x J Hes He's an old farm bureau man him him- 1 self sell I r. r i But I 1 interjected what about i the war effort what about hiking t up the farm prices and smashing f E the price ceilings You cant can't give givey y the farmers higher prices without i having to boost wages My friend caressed his stogie and smiled Dont worry he said t nobody is going to do anything Inthe in inthe g the long run that will interfere with l i war plans But in a political fight t everybody leans as far out of the tree as he can without falling Everybody Everybody Everybody Ev Ev- says the other fellow is isI I 1 playing politics but everybody If plays the game just the same What is this extension service I versus Farm Security fight Well t it goes back a long way s ii In the old days the extension r service the Idea of the county agents was started by commercial j t organizations which wanted to Improve improve improve Im im- prove farm prosperity so they could sell more city goods Later the Ii system was financed by the states r with the help of federal grants But the states dominated Then the thea a American Farm Bureau federation was formed officially in hi 1920 The organization pushed certain t f Ideas for attacking surpluses not ri C f very different from tram what the AAA f t. t developed later As the farm problem problem problem lem grew worse a farm conference was called in Washington in 1932 l- l 7 This group prepared a bill containing containing contain contain- ing many features similar to those finally incorporated into the thc Agricultural Agricultural Agricultural Agri Agri- cultural Adjustment act I Then came the first friction between between between be be- tween the thc farm bureau and the administration adt ad ad- t ministration There was a good deal 1 of politics in that too It was a struggle between the AAA representatives J 4 i in the field and the state I t i q i set set ups rf i Farmers' Farmers Union Formed k L Later the Farmers Union came Into the picture It was started among the low income farmers in Texas It was the thc left wing of Agy Agriculture Agriculture Ag Ag- y and to the other farm groups it was pink It had the strong backing of Mrs Roosevelt its policies were reflected by the t. t ri rival rival rival ri- ri F Farm Security administration a conservative Farm val of the more Credit administration which ministered ministered ministered minis minis- to the thc financial ills of the bIggee bigger bigger big big- ger gee farmers The Thc friction has never ceased A up blow-up came when started his food administration As Asan Asan As' As r an old farm bureau man he always i. i leaned over backward in an effort not to be prejudiced against Farm Security Also as a cabinet memE member mem mem- t E ber he couldn't stray too far from White House preachments So he heis is named a Farm Security f man to head up his food conservation conserva conserva- j- j tion tier machinery and immediately a n anest at t loose There Therewa r r nest of hornets was wa was no choice It was a question f i of making a left turn against traI- traI I ti fie tic had to go TA was accused of turning right by one group but that didn't save him from the wrath of those opposed to the administration Nor did his incentive payment policy which would not help the Democrat Democrat Demo Demo- crat cotton raisers in the South northe northe nor northe the Republican wheat raisers in the north since what we wc dont don't need to ta feed America today is more wheat or more cotton So the storm rages Farm Security Security Security Se Se- will probably be the burnt offering offering offering of of- fering as anything with even a faintly faintly faintly faint faint- ly pink complexion is a red lag flag to congress Gardens Nothing New They Were Old Treat Youve You've heard the expression he aint what he usta be and what's more he never In a number of ways was these United States of ours aint what they used to be but be-but but they Take these victory gardens My goodness It was long after we moved into town population 2 20 that I had my real private gardening experience Back on Spruce street of course there was wasa a whole orchard and the garden was wasso wasso wasso so big it was ploughed But big or little ittle the backyard could produce plenty for mother to put up wo never called it canning everything everything every- every thing hing from tomatoes and corn and those cucumbers what cucumbers what memories the he name conjures up up to to wonderful watermelon pickles I was talking with another old- old timer imer and he isn't so old either about his little Kansas town He said he couldn't remember anybody who vho didn't have a garden or had milk delivered to the doorstep ei- ei her ther When the onions and the radishes stuck their sprouts up I used to watch them with an eagle eye hoping I would be able to deliver a luscious bunch of them before the thc corner grocer had his somewhat wilted product to display Of course I never could beat him by much and by the time the fat tomatoes were asking for a piece of lath to keep their chins out of the dirt all the neighbors had them too But that didn't matter Came the day when the thc kitchen was redolent with entrancing entrancing entrancing en en- odors and the womenfolk's aprons were stained red as a victorious victorious vicarious vic vic- arious banner and when evening fell the mason jars were cooling inthe in inthe the he pantry before they were stored in the cool cellar In those days about the only time timea a can opener was used was when somebody broached a Sunday evening evening evening eve eve- ning can of sardines as a special treat to go along with the fudge made in a chafing dish if you were a little doggy and flavored with songs around the piano to mandolin obligate And what about the dry throats No Ice lee cubes No cocktail shakers Perhaps a bottle of ot raspberry shrub from the top shelf from the preserves preserves preserves pre pre- serves closet closet closet-a a rich purple liquid which bad been squeezed through a cheese cloth bag with strong and loving hands bands the fat berries inside plucked from those sprawling bushes along the back fence What good things came out of the backyard garden by way of the fruit jars and the jelly glasses I Can you forget the quinces smooth and shiny and hard that hung on the gnarled tree harsh fruit that mysteriously mysteriously mysteriously mys mys- turned into a delightful pink delicacy which spread over a crisp cracker like a benediction Drill Congressmen On Tuesday March 2 1943 there appeared for the first time In the history of America the following item in the Congressional Record the journal of day to day happenings happenings happenings happen happen- ings of congress RECESS THE SPEAKER Pursuant to the inherent power lodged in the Presiding Presiding Presiding Pre Pre- siding Officer In case of emergency the Chair declares this House in recess recess recess re re- re- re cess subject to the call of the Chair for the purpose of participating in a practice raid air-raid drill The alarm has sounded Members will leave the Chamber as rapidly as possible and the galleries will be cleared Accordingly at 2 o'clock and 10 minutes p p. p m. m the House stood in recess reces subject to the call of the Speaker AFTER RECESS At 3 o'clock and 4 minutes p p. m. m the thc House was called to order by the Speaker |
