GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 429 



mittee has the ^visdom and foresight to work out this problem hur- 

 riedly, I do not know. I have my doubts about it. 



]\Ir. Hope. Will the gentleman yield? We do not have any bill yet 

 and when we get a bill we will have to start in all over again, will Wb 

 not? 



Mr. Pace. I am afraid some people will want to be heard again, prob- 

 ably the organization now appearing before us. 



In the> light of the magnitude of the problem, would it be a good 

 program for us to use hogs as a guinea pig, no better guinea pig being 

 available on this production -payment plan? 



The Secretary in his statement to the committee appealed to the com- 

 mittee to give him payments authorit}' on hogs immediately because 

 he lias already announced a support price and he is helpless, in a 

 Avay. to make good to the producers. 



We might draft a bill to give him payment authority on hogs, first 

 because he may need it badly, and secondly, because it would then 

 give the country and the Congress an opportunity to see the payment 

 plan in operation. 



Secondl3% we could do something about the potato problem. I do not 

 think the Congress can afford to continue that expense much longer. 

 It has been so great and the public has so thoroughly misunderstood it 

 that I think it is liable to endanger the entire farm program if it con- 

 tinues. We could give the authority to the Secretary for payments 

 on hogs and take whatever appropriate action is necessary on potatoes, 

 as well as continuing the present plan for 1 year. We could suspend 

 the operation of tlie effective date of the Aiken bill in the meantime 

 and see what is the best farm program for the farmers and the Nation, 

 tying it in with this over-all economic condition that you have re- 

 ferred to. 



How does that strike you ? 



Mr. Talbott. ]Mr. Chairman, first, let me say that our organization 

 and those of us wlio are familiar with tlie individuals who comprise 

 this committee have a great regard for the membership of this com- 

 mittee and we know that you will do the utmost in your power to put 

 together a long-range progi'am. 



We well recognize the difficulties at this late date against the tre- 

 mendous load of work that the Congressmen undoubtedly still have in 

 front of them on other matters, as well as a farm program, and the 

 probabilities of a date of adjournment of this session of Congress, the 

 very great difficulties starting at this late date against those factors 

 to really put something together on a long-range program. 



We would hope that it could be done for all of the reasons I am sure 

 that you can understand. 



As a minimum it seems to me that the suggestion that you have made 

 would certainly be a great deal more acceptable to us than to default 

 on any action and let title II of the 1948 Farm Act go into operation for 

 a year. We think that would be a great tragedy. 



Mr. Pace. There are certain things this committee must do. We 

 nuist rewrite the cottou-qnoia laws. We must rev- rite the coni-(juota 

 laws. We must rewrite the wheat-quota laws. The Congress cannot 

 possibly adjourn before those laws are rewritten. That, in itself, is a 

 stupendous task, because we have not even heard from the wheat 

 growers yet. We have heard from the cotton gi-owers and some of 

 the corn growers. 



