184 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



bill to go into force and effect in 1950, and those lie in the area of the 

 formula, changes in the formula, and in the extension of the use of 

 some of the instrumentalities we now know which have proven quite 

 useful in some other crops. 



Mr. HoEVEN. You are not recommending the repeal of the so-called 

 Aiken bill as such? 



Secretary Brannan. No, not to the extent that it would throw 

 away all the ideas and principles of the Aiken bill. 



I would modernize and simplify the parity formula as is indicated 

 by the document I have just given to you. 



Mr. HoEVEN. Are you a member of the Committee on Economic 

 Stabilization? 



Secretary Brannan. I am not aware of such a committee. 



Mr. HoEVEN. I may not have the name of the committee exactly 

 right but your name has been mentioned in connection with a sup- 

 posed economic program of the President. 



Secretary Brannan. May I answer you this way: The President 

 has designated me to coordinate the presentation of his economic pro- 

 gram to the Congress and as such I have assisted in the preparation 

 of the bill. 



Mr. Hoeven. That is the thing I am getting at. Your proposal 

 now is a part of that program? 



Secretary Brannan. It has not been related to that program 

 through the usual machinery. 



Mr. Hoeven. This over-all program that you have just mentioned 

 recommends stand-by price controls, does it not? 



Secretary Brannan. It does, sir, the stabilization bill, not the 

 recommendation before this committee. 



Mr. Hoeven. If your proposals are enacted into law, do you think 

 we will have price controls? 



Secretary Brannan. I would think not; I think that is a stabilizing-^ 

 factor which would reduce the need for price controls in agricultural 

 commodities. 



Mr. Hoeven. I am referring not only to agricultural commodities 

 but to the many implications involved in our entire economy. 



Secretary Brannan. You obviously, Mr. Hoeven, cannot treat 

 with the whole economy by treating with just one segment, even 

 though the segment be the heart and the core of the agricultiu-al 

 economy. 



Therefore, anything that we would do here would not have any con- 

 trol on the price of steel or any other metals or oils, and so forth. 



Mr. Hoeven. Going back to the Aiken bill for a minute: Is the 

 Aiken bill preferred to your present proposal? 



Secretary Brannan. I am sorry, I did not understand that. 



Mr. Hoeven. Do you prefer the Aiken bill to your present proposal 

 or not? 



Secretary Brannan. No, sir. 



Mr. Hoeven. The present law; let us put it that way. 



Secretary Brannan. There are some features about both of them 

 that should be amended. This proposal is a proposal directed at both 

 of them. 



Mr. Hoeven. Is it not a fact that the administration has proposed, 

 and you have proposed, flexible price supports on a permanent basis 

 at the time that the Aiken bill was enacted? 



