GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 299 



I am not charging 3*011 with tr^Tiig to bring us to the Hitler way, 

 but I am sa3*ing that if you simply want efficiency, that was the grand- 

 est example this world has probably ever seen. If that is what you 

 are shooting at, then, as you say, let us go all the way. I ^\all grant 

 that I am willing to make some compromises. I will grant that I am 

 not insisting that we keep the log cabin and the dug well and pull the 

 water up in the old oaken bucket. I am willing to bring it in pipes 

 but it does seem to me that when you can get substantially the results 

 3^ou desire by sugar-coating, that it is worth while to sugar-coat, if 

 you want to use that expression. 



I think there is something to the psA'chology expressed. I think 

 there is som.ething more than mere dollars involved in this program. 

 I think the psychological effect means something just as well as the 

 economic effect. I gather from your statements that efficiency is the 

 chief goal, that we are not to consider the psvchology of the matter. 

 It seems to m.e that we must recognize that we can even sacrifice some 

 dollars to get the psychological result we want. 



Secretary Braxxax. Mr. Poage, you just name the wa}' you can 

 put sugar-coating on it and if the committee wants it, certainly we 

 will accept it, but I do not accept the premise that the American system 

 is not efficient nor do I accept the premise that we who tr}' to operate 

 the system should not try to make it as efficient as we can. 



]Mr. Poage, I respectfully call your attention to the fact that you 

 are now plastering a conscientious, sincere, honest attempt to m.ake 

 for the right declarations and recommendations to this comriiittee 

 with some very bad characterizations which these gentlemen sitting 

 behind me, because they are reporters and conscientious reporters, 

 are going to have to put in the newspapers and spread aU across the 

 papers. 



Sir. Poage. Mr. Secretar}', I have not plastered the plan with 

 anything at aU. I did not even mention the plan. 



Secretary Braxxax. Mr. Poage, did you read the morning paper on 

 the quotations of your statement yesterday? 



Mr. Poage. Yes. 



Secretary Braxxax. You plastered it as un-American 3-esterday. 



Mr. Poage. No, I did not plaster it as un-American. 



Secretary- Braxxax. That is the way it shows up in a lot of papers 

 this ro.orning. If I had been a reporter sitting at that table that is the 

 way I would have ^vl'itten it. 



^Ir. Poage. I continue to suggest that even though direct payments 

 might be most efficient the}' are certainh' not calculated to help the 

 farmer maintain his self-respect. 



Secretary Braxxax. I am now only suggesting the things which 

 occurred to my mind. If you know how to do it with other than 

 direct payments, please tell the committee and let us throw m}' plan 

 out the window and all the rest of these plans out the window and let 

 us give American farmers money by injection or some other method. 



Mr. Poage. I made a serious suggestion for the use of insurance 

 but instead you gentlemen have chosen to say that I just propose to 

 sugar-coat things. Instead of giving it am'^ serious consideration, 

 3^ou have just branded it as a sugar coat. That is the considci-ation 

 I got when I made an honest suggestion. It was simply branded as 

 sugar-coating something. 



Secretarj^ Braxxax. Mr. Chairman, I apologize to 3*ou and Mr. 

 Poage. I am sorrv. 



