GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 521 



Mr. AxDRESEX. I agree with you about shaping that kind of 

 program. 



I am mindful of the fact that I have been on this committee going 

 on 24 years and we have had this same problem before us during every 

 session of Congress. It is not an easy matter to sit down and write an 

 agricultural program. 



I can say in all sincerit}- that our committee has tried to do that. 

 There has been no politics in it except once in awhile when we got to 

 oleomargarine. That was also an economic battle. 



By and large, during all these years this committee has tried to 

 write a workable and sound j^rogram. 



Mr. Shaw. You have done a good job. I think we have a good 

 one no'vv. 



Mr. Andresex. It has been largerly a matter of compromise be- 

 cause of the diversity of agriculture. If some of you farm experts 

 could sit around and help us write a program and make it work and 

 do the business for agricuhure. you would be performing a distinct 

 service. We try to do that and we want your help if we can get it, 

 because that is what we need in order to work it out. Otherwise we 

 will have to try something and if it does not work we will have to 

 amend it again. 



Mr. Shaw. I have one suggestion I would like to make in the form 

 of a compromise that we definitely worked hard to sell in view of the 

 fact that there seems to be in some areas support for the flexible 

 principles of this Aiken law that some would like to see maintained 

 in whatever program we liave. We suggest that we begin at 90 on 

 any commodity when we vote quotas for the first year. 



if within a year after that you failed to bring that commodity in 

 line with the principles or the schedule of the Aiken Act, we would 

 be willing to submit to a scale that would come down 1.42 as has been 

 prescribed. 



We offered that in the form of a compromise, thinking that it would 

 be a businesslike approach to a rather serious problem at that time. 



That would bail a man out and save his hide and not have the effect 

 of cutting his acreage and reducing his price at the same time. 



If you were operating a factory, you might say to me, "Flake, I have 

 to cut down. I can only run 4 clays a week," I would go along. 



But if 3'ou said also. "I am going to cut your wages 25 percent," I 

 would not like that a bit. That is in effect what you do with the Aiken 

 bill and we have never liked that principle but if the otlier fellow 

 wants it we are perfectly willing to let him have it. 



We will let the farmers make the determination themselves as to 

 whether or not to use it. 



Mr. AxDRESEX. If you were satisfied, you would not go so far as to 

 agree with the program over the countrj' that might be injurious to 

 the country, would you ? 



Mr. Shaw. If a man said he wanted it. 



Mr. Ax-^DRESEX. You say you are against the Secretary's proposal. 

 Do you think we shoukl put it on for the rest of the country? 



Mr. Shaw. I was not talkiuii- about the Secretary's proposal. I 

 was talking about tlie flexible principles of the Aiken bill. 



Mr. AxDRESEX. That is different. 



Mr. Pace. Thank you very much, Mr. Shaw. 



