Show NEWS REVIEW Peril Seen for Tax Cut Cut- Soil Control Row Due u t I following me u. u ui or over the spirit of deflation which seemed to have been evoked by the commodity market price slump U. U S. S citizens began to realize that complications might set in Most significant hidden gimmick behind the market skid appeared to tobe tobe tobe be the development that the price decline might in hi the words of Sen Scott Lucas l Dem em Ill eliminate all possibility of income tax reductions reductions re re- re- re this year And that apparently was the cautious cautious cautious cau cau- but considered opinion of the A u h lax wio ux-wio sena c imam imam-c committee of which Lucas is a member Sen Owen Brewster Rep Me also a finance committee member expressed a concurring view pointing pointing pointing point point- ing out that any appreciable general general gen gen- general eral price decline certainly would have to be taken into consideration by Republicans in their tax-cutting tax plans Another member of the group Sen Harry Byrd Dem Va said that if a decline of market prices develops into a business recession it probably would have a considerable considerable considerable consid consid- erable effect on tax reduction I HI certainly am not going to vote for any bill that would put the treasury treasury treas treas- treasury ury in a deficit position said Byrd While the senators' senators statements reflected reflected reflected re re- re- re a good deal of pussyfooting and at least a temporary surge of indecision with regard to tax reduction reduction reduction tion in the light of the market slump it was obvious that they were thoroughly concerned with this turn of events Theory which set their tax-cutting tax plans awry is that a continued slump of commodity market prices would bring down the national income income income in in- come and tax receipts thus rendering rendering rendering render render- ing any major tax reduction per per- ilous bus SOIL CONTROL State or Federal One of the springtime battles now shaping up in congress will concern the issue of whether the national farm erosion program should be federally or state controlled Fireworks are scheduled to begin in March when the house agriculture committee opens hearings on a bill sponsored by Rep Harry D. D Cooley Dem N. N C. C which would turn turnover turnover over the soil conservation program operated by the agriculture department department department depart depart- ment since 1935 to state land grant colleges Along with the transfer of authority authority authority author author- ity would go about department department depart depart- department ment agents who administer the program in about 2000 districts That will wll provide a point of strong controversy as will the measures measure's provision for federal feder l grants to help states foot their soil saving bills Pushing the switch from federal to state control most strongly is the national farm bureau one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington Washing Washing- ton on the grounds that the soil conservation program would accomplish accomplish accomplish ac ac- ac- ac more under state author author- ity The federal program has not been beena a effective as it should be so far the farm bureau contends But opponents opponents op op- op- op of the transfer counter with the argument that the states lack experience to handle the project sa satisfactorily Currently operating under an annual an an- annual nual budget of 39 million dollars i has nas federal L soil l conservation service persons working with farmers helping prepare conservation conserva conserva- tion plans which the farmers may accept or reject So far it has prepared conservation conserva consent tion plans for farms COvering covering covering cover- cover ing of the country's on one billion acres of farm land |