Show congress agricultural bloc harmless social bloc the real menace by SENATOR we S KENYON ot of lowa the so go called agricultural bloc in congress is nothing more than a meeting of members from states state in in which agriculture is one of the greatest industries to talk over the need of tile the farmers fan ners there is a social 10 i bloc in washington that offers a real menace well meaning men from man many states go to congress con greES to accomplish rt com certain things but they find the tremendous influence of tile the social bloc too much for them I 1 see no particular harm in the sitting down together 0 gether of the senators from the west and the senators from the south to talk over agricultural interests and that is all there la is to the so called bloc they are doing nothing to injure any other industry or interest not working against any other bloc but trying to arrive at some satisfactory action that will assist agriculture the secretary of agriculture and the secretary of commerce have met with the bloc and talked over various matters and no one dreamed it was such a terrible thing to do the senators have been derided because they did not go to the older party leaders and ask case mr leader may we pass this thia little biu bill for the benefit beneat of agriculture instead they have gone ahead and done things and what ahat about the other blocs the lumber men bankers and othe groups that come together naturally when matters come up concerning their inter interests estl what has done more to indue influence nce legislation in m washing washington that any other influence is the social bloc the agricultural bloc prevented the adjournment ot of congress last july and thus is responsible for legislation accomplished since it produced the war finance corporation legi legislation and the packers bill measures for loaning money to farmers and bitting ait ting them have been beed passed parsed As aa to the future program of the bloc it favors a operative cooperative co coe marketing wit bill placing a practical farmer on the federal reserve board and a system of rural credits with longer term loans |