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inois Asricultural Association 



RECORD^ ^, 



Volume 14 February, 1936 Number 2 



2 1 st Hnnual Convention 



^ ^ 4000 Brave Sub-Zero Weather fo Meet at Decatur 



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SUB-ZERO weather accompanied 

 by frozen ears, frozen-up cars and 

 attendance approximately one- 

 third below the expected, marked the 

 21st annual meeting of the lAA held 

 at Decatur last week. 



In spite of the weather, registrations 

 approached 4,000 for the three-day ses- 

 sion and few ssats were vacant at the 

 Thursday morning and evening ses- 

 sions. The Armory, seating upwards of 

 3500 people, was none too large as it 

 was, and with mUder weather un- 

 doubtedly could not have accommo- 

 dated the audience. At least a thou- 

 sand or more members who planned to 

 attend, particularly those from a dis- 

 tance, stayed home. The extra care 

 needed for livestock and to keep the 

 home fires burning in the severe 

 weather which covered all sections of 

 the state, led them to cancel the trip. 

 Even so hotels at Decatur were 

 crowded, although the room situation 

 was eased somewhat. 



Comment about the Supreme Court 

 decision on the AAA and the return 

 of impounded processing taxes to the 

 processors, together with curiosity re- 

 garding details of the new farm pro- 

 gram overshadowed all other inter- 

 ests in the convention. Delegates came 

 with mixed feelings of disappointment 

 over the death of the AAA Act and 

 hope that the opportunity may be used 

 to work out a simplified yet effective 



Fdcing fhe icy blasts outside the Armory 

 after the Thursday morning speeches. 



1^ •- 



plan through soil conservation and ex- 

 pansion of markets to maintain farm 

 prices at approximate parity. 



The news brought by Chester Davis. 

 Marvin Jones, Earl Smith and Ed. 

 O'Neal from the firing line expressing 

 confidence that an effective program 

 was in the making, removed much of 

 the indignation, disappointment and 

 anxiety for the future which followed 

 the 6 to 3 Supreme Court decision. 



It was apparent from the applause 

 that farmers are more incensed over 

 the return of nearly $200,000,000 of 

 processing taxes to the processors than 

 any other action by the Supreme 

 Court. Whenever this situation was 

 emphasized by speakers and in reso- 

 lutions, delegates vigorously supported 

 the view expressed by Secretary Wal- 

 lace that the return of these taxes is 

 the "greatest legalized steal in history." 

 Particularly is this decision offensive 

 to farmers and consumers who indi- 

 rectly paid the tax, coming as it does 

 after reports of substantial profits — the 

 highest in years — realized by meat 

 packers and other processors during 

 the year 1935. The greed of the meat 

 packers who are trying to justify re- 

 tention of the tax is not shared, how- 

 ever, by others such as the corn pro- 

 cessors and many flour mills. 



W. W. Woods, president of the In- 

 stitute of American Meat Packers, in 

 a statement published February 3 is 



Robert A. "Bob" Cowles, treasurer, added up 

 the figures and sat down. 



reported to have said: "Processors 

 handling pork know the decision does 

 no more than equity so far as they are 

 concerned." 



When you compare this statement 

 with that of the Institute's economist, 

 Geo. E. Putnam, made before the 

 House Agricultural Committee last 

 year to the effect that the $2.25 per 

 c\\'t. processing tax on hogs is being 

 passed on in a lower price to the 

 hog grower, you realize why farmers 

 are up in arms over this unjust enrich- 

 ment of the packers. 



A telegram from George M. Moffett, 

 president of the Corn Industries Re- 

 search Foundation, to President Elarl 

 Smith Feb. 1, expressing the desire of 

 corn processors to return their process- 

 ing taxes, if possible, to consumers, 

 indicates that some at least look upon 

 this fund as "conscience money" and 

 want to get rid of it. Mr. Moffett's tele- 

 gram is reproduced on page 17. 



As we go to press it appears that ef- 

 forts will be made in Congress to pass 

 legislation carrying out resolutions 

 adopted by the Decatur convention and 

 other farm groups to recover the 

 processing tax money turned over by 

 the Court and turn it into the federal 

 treasury. It is also apparent that both 

 major parties as well as all important 

 farm groups are agreed on the prin- 

 ciples of the new farm program to be 

 (Continued on page 10) 



Candid Camera Study of General Counsel 

 Donald Kirkpatricli. 



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