GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 187 



that with one exception, that is, your suggestion with regard to hmiting 

 supports to a part of the crop in the case of a big operator, that leaving 

 out that one recommendation you now have full authority under the 

 so-called Aiken bill, the Agricultural Act of 1948, to do everything 

 proposed in your statement to this committee? 



Secretary 'Brannan. No, IMr. Pace, we do not. In general terms, 

 I would say that your statement is correct. 



Mr. Pace. The Aiken bill contains this language: 



The Secretary through the Commodity Credit Corporation and other means 

 available to him is authorized to support prices for agricultural commodities to 

 producers through loans, purchases, payments, and other operations. 



You have recommended to us that you support prices through 

 loans, purchase agreements, production payments, and dhect pur- 

 chases. You have all foiu- of those in the language I have just read 

 from the Aiken bill, have you not? 



Secretary Brannan. And except for payments in the present bill. 



Mr. Pace. You mean the law now in effect? 



Secretary Brannan. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Pace. Let's leave that out. 



Secretary Brannan. I will leave it out if you will leave it out of 

 your inclusive statement. 



Mr. Pace. You do have now authority under the Aiken bill, if it 

 goes into effect on the 1st day of January, to support prices in all 

 the methods you now suggest? 



Secretary Brannan. Yes. 



Mr. Pace. By payments, by loans, by purchase agreements, and 

 by direct piu-chases. 



Secretary Brannan. Yes. 



Mr. Pace. I repeat, you now have under that act, if it goes into 

 effect, all the authority suggested in your recommendations to this 

 committee? 



Secretary Brannan. No; because you have left out the proposed 

 changes in the support level and in the com.putation of the support 

 level. 



Mr. Pace. I am not getting into the support level. I tnean the 

 method of supporting prices. 



This pa^Tiient ciuestion that has been so much incpired about is 

 now authorized by law, if the Congress gives 3'ou the money? 



Secretary Brannan. That is right. 



]Mr. Pace. I think that needs to be made clear. You have not 

 brought here, whether it is good or bad, a request for any authority 

 that the Congress has not already WTitten into the law? 



Secretary Brannan. That is correct, sir. 



Mr. Pace. Although they did it, unfortimately and unhappily, on 

 a Sunday morning, June 20, 1948. 



Mr. Sutton. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield for one brief 

 question? 



Mr. Pace. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Sutton. Mr. Secretary, then you are recommending the repeal 

 of the Aiken bill as a whole; is that right? 



Mr. Pace. He said, ''No." 



Secretary Brannan. No; just a series of changes in it, preserving 

 most of it because after all, that preserved most of the act of 1938 

 anvhow. 



