GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 511 



Cigaiettes are from 20 cents up where there is a tax. If the farmer 

 vrho ]:>rodnced the tobacco gave his tobacco away, those cigarettes 

 would still cost you 17% cents a pack. 



If the farmer gave away beans, a 10-cent can of beans would still 

 cost the public 8.7 cents. 



A suit of clothes that costs $50 would still cost better than $43 if 

 the farmer gave awaj'' the wool. 



I bring this out to show you that the little bit that the farmer has 

 in the price that the consumer pays is going to be dropped from 90 

 to 60 percent now. 



Do you think the consuming public would ever know the difference 

 in that little bit ? 



Still, that is enough, gentlemen, to wreck the economy of this 

 Nation through agriculture. 



I am disturbed about our whole economy at the present time. It 

 is not just the farmers, gentlemen, I am trying to look across the 

 horizon on this whole matter. We are not out to fight anybody or 

 try to make people pay exorbitant prices for food and fibers. I say 

 we have two real problems facing us. I think we have whipped one 

 of them already. The two real problems facing us in this Nation 

 are wild inflation and a wild depression. 



I think we have whipped the inflation part of it, I say this ad- 

 visedly, gentlemen. We are going to have to steer to a great degTee 

 between these two courses if we maintain a natioonal income that will 

 keep us on safe ground. 



Mr. Hill. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman vield for a question ? 



Mr, Pace, Mr, Hill, 



Mr. Hill. Is it your opinion that the whole Aiken bill is so bad 

 that it cannot be remedied by amendment ? 



Mr. WiNGATE. You can amend it until you can just strike all but 

 the title and I think that is almost what needs to be done to this bill. 



Mr, Hill, Then what would you follow it with ; the Brannan plan ? 



Mr, WiNGATE, No ; if you do not mind, I am coming to my sugges- 

 tion. I can answer that right now, 



Mr. Hill. Go right ahead. 



Mr. WiNGATE. I think the point that I was trying to bring out 

 about steering is important, I say "steering" advisedly, I do not 

 want any few or a dozen people steering this thing. Two-thirds of 

 the farmers have to vote for this farm program we have and I think 

 they are controlling it themselves. 



It is not regimentation. If it is, they are regimenting themselves. 

 I think we have had a very good farm program so far. I think it 

 can be improved. 



Mr. Hill. You are speaking of acreage control and acreage allot- 

 ment ? 



Mr. WiNGATE. Yes. sir. I think with the experience that we have 

 had with the present farm program that we can expand it and con- 

 tinue to improve it and make a better farm program. 



Gentlemen, let me just say this : You know we have been a long time 

 trying to get the farmers to understand our farm program. They 

 understand it pretty well noAv. 



To make a drastic change like this Aiken bill, to make a drastic 

 cliange like the Brannan plan, would put us where I do not know 

 when we would ever get anything done. 



