348 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



Mr. O'SuLLivAN. That is right. Would that not pass the burden 

 on to Congress instead of having the Department assume it? 



Secretary Brannan. That would be the result. 



Mr. O'SuLLiVAN. Then it might satisfy some of these fearsome 

 soids who see in everything regimentation and dictatorship and a 

 thousand other bogeymen. It might ease their minds, at least. Is 

 that not correct? 



Secretary Branxan. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Pace. Mr. Chairman. 



The Chairman. Mr. Pace. 



Mr. Pace. Mr. Chairman, if everyone else has completed their 

 questions, I think there are two or three clean-up or summary ques- 

 tions which should be asked to close the record in this case. I will 

 ask them very briefly, Mr. Secretary, and you can give very brief 

 answers. 



Wliere do we stand at the closing hour of the hearing with regard 

 to the limitation on support, the 1,800 units? I believe you testified 

 that it could be left out of the plan without endangering the other 

 features of the plan. Is that correct? 



Secretary Brannax. Technically, it can. 



Mr. Pace. Do you still leave it with the committee as your 

 recommendation that it be enacted into law? 

 . Secret ar}^ Brannan. I leave it with the committee for consideration. 



Mr. Pace. Mr. Secretary, do you recommend to the committee 

 that it repprt legislation to repeal the Aiken bill and submit to the 

 Congress legislation along the lines of yom- present recommendations? 



Secretary Brannan. I think it would be in the best interest of this 

 country if we did. 



Mr. Pace. Woidd it not be a matter of absolute necessity, inas- 

 much as the philosophy of the two plans are diametrically opposed? 

 In the Aiken bill, the philosophy is to reduce prices in keeping with 

 supplies and move backward from parity income, while under yoiu- 

 plan the idea is to try to move forward toward parity income. 



Secretary Brannan. I believe so, sir. 



Mr. Pace. Due to that irreconcilable conflict in philosophies, do 

 you not think the repeal of the Aiken bill would be required? 



Secretary Brannan. It certainly woidd if you enacted this plan or 

 any other plan. 



Mr. Pace. Also taking into account the flexible support features of 

 the Aiken bill. 



Mr. Hope. Will the gentleman yield right there? 



Mr. Pace. Yes. 



Mr. Hope. Taking into consideration everything you have just said,, 

 could you not amend the Aiken bill so as to provide for the new 

 method of computing parity and then change the price-support levels? 

 That would be ah you would need to do; would it not? 



Mr. Pace. He has quite a difi'erent formula in arrivmg at this 

 support level. He would have to change that. 



Mr. Hope. This formula is practically the same when figured out 

 in dollars and cents as the formula in the Aiken bill. 



Mr. Pace. At the moment it is, but in a few years it will be quite 

 different. 



Mr. Hope. I do not know whether it would be different or not. 



