EDITORIAL 



The New Agricultural Adjustment Act 

 By Eari C. Smith 



i 



C"^v HE Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1937 just 

 ^'^— ^ introduced in the Congress is, in my judgment, 

 -/ the most eflFective, sound and defensible law yet 

 proposed for the permanent solution of the basic farm 

 problem. 



Its provisions are consistent with the repeated pro- 

 nouncements of the organized thinking farmers of Illinois 

 for more than a decade. It is directed primarily toward the 

 control of surplus supplies, and production control becomes 

 effective only when excess supplies develop, and then only 

 to the extent of bringing supplies to the normal level. 



The Act is directed toward stable fair prices for co- 

 operating farmers and cannot justly be criticized as offer- 

 ing subsidy or anything of that nature to the farmers of 

 the country. Thinking people in business, industry and 

 government as well as in agriculture recognize the value 

 and need of maintaining surpluses of basic farm com- 

 modities at all times. Unless controlled, surpluses unduly 

 depress price levels. Therefore, if we are to accumulate 

 and maintain surplus supplies, it is necessary they be 

 absolutely controlled. 



Under the provisions of the Act, cooperating farmers 

 engaged in the production of com, wheat, cotton, tobacco 

 and rice are assured of parity or near parity prices at all 

 times. The Act is voluntary, except when supplies reach 

 abnormal proportions and are getting beyond any rea- 

 sonable requirement; then the Act is mandatory only to 

 the extent that each farmer contributing to the unreasonable 

 excess is required to maintain his portion of such excess 

 on his farm until supplies reach normal levels. 



There are several ways in which these excess supplies 

 can be released. No tax is imposed, unless a farmer re- 

 fuses to maintain his excess supply and insists upon its 

 ^oing into market channels and thereby unduly interfering 

 with commerce. 



As presented to Gingress, the Act assures every pro- 

 ducer of the basic crops being given an equitable acreage 

 base, each farmer being given an opportunity for review 

 of the original base established before final determination 

 by a committee other than those responsible for the original 

 base allocation. 



While livestock and dairy products are not directly 

 affected by the terms of the Act, yet all students of the 

 farm problem agree that by providing a stable supply and 

 a normal level of prices for feed and food grains, a very 

 definite indirect assistance is afforded such products to be- 

 come adjusted both in volume and price. Other provisions 

 of law are in existence to handle the seasonal surpluses of 

 livestock and dairy products as they develop. 



In one sentence, the proposed Agricultural Adjust- 

 ment Act of 1937 is directed toward maintaining at all 

 times a normal supply of the basic farm crops enumerated 

 in the Act plus a reasonable surplus carry-over under con- 

 trol; affording every cooperating farmer the assurance at all 

 times of stable fair prices for the commodities; protecting 

 the consumer and the Nation against shortage; restricting 



34 



speculation in farm products to narrow margins, and pro- 

 tecting the greatest of natural assets, fertility of soil. 



Certainly no one can justly criticize a national law 

 which affords the assistance of government to cooperating 

 farmers in bringing about these results. 



The War Against Grasshoppers 



M WAR against grasshopper hordes is being 



.. Zl. waged throughout Illinois. Entire counties 



^^^ I are organized behind Farm Bureau leadership. 

 Farmers are armed with poison baits with which to stop 

 the invaders. Like commanding generals, farm advisers 

 are traveling from township to township, conferring with 

 leaders, watching for the enemy, making sure that all is 

 in readiness for the first offensive. 



It is a fight to the finish. Farmers are looking for- 

 ward to selling their crop for the best prices they have re- 

 ceived in years, and they are determined to win. 



The battle in Knox county is typical of conditions all 

 along the "grasshopper front." Farm Adviser Kemp is 

 directing the fight aided by a staff of 20 township leaders. 

 General Kemp's colonels have appointed leaders for each 

 school district in their townships. The school district 

 majors have checked with every farmer to determine the 

 amounts of bran and poison each will need. 



The dramatic battle against the grasshopper reveals 

 farm organization performing one of its most important 

 jobs — to protect and conserve the food supply that people 

 may eat. Is it asking too much of the public that it in re- 

 turn support a national policy to protect the American 

 farmer against the excesses of production that in the past 

 have spelled his, and in the end his city neighbors', eco- 

 nomic ruin.'' 



Consistent Work At Springfield 



y^N ADDRESSING approximately 150 members of 

 nj the Illinois General Assembly at a dinner given by 

 */ the lAA in Springfield recently. President Smith 

 was applauded when he condemned so-called "nuisance" 

 bills which periodically find their way into the legislative 

 hopper. 



A typical example is the bill introduced in this ses- 

 sion that would have required a farmer or anyone else 

 wielding a paint brush to take out a state license. The 

 Association secured an amendment to this bill exempting 

 farmers from its provisions. The majority of legislators 

 are opposed to such nuisance bills. And they are always 

 glad to have assistance in ferreting out facts and killing 

 bad measures. 



A valuable service which many Farm Bureau mem- 

 bers know little about is performed by the lAA legislative 

 committee. The committee scrutinizes every bill before 

 the Assembly for possible harmful influence. It quietly 

 makes known its views to busy legislators. As a result 

 bills are often amended in important particulars. This 

 kind of service doesn't make headlines. But it does make 

 a big difference in the long-time interests of farmers in 

 taxes and government. t ' . 



1. A. A. RECORD 



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