GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 569 



quotas and we have had changes involving basic commodities. But I 

 would say that we have had more than 100 amendments, maybe sev- 

 eral hundred amendments to the Triple-A Act of 1938, which was a 

 pretty well considered law, I think perhaps the best written and best 

 considered agricultural law we have had. But any program, if we 

 expect to have a comprehensive program covering all agricultural 

 commodities, I think you will agree, should provide that all com- 

 modities should be eligible for price support, and it w^ould put a tre- 

 mendous power in the hands of the Secretary, and all of these have, 

 and all of these things seem to be desirable, and your proposal pre- 

 sents a third alternative, which would be to have the Congress author- 

 ize the use of general remedies or proposals, and to have this board 

 have the powers which might be given to the Secretary, dilute those 

 powers somewhat by requiring that the board shall be selected of men 

 representing agriculture, and of distributing agencies, and possibly 

 the public. 



In a general way does that about state what you have in mind as 

 far as the ideas back of your proposal are concerned? 



Mr. Goss. I think you have stated it very well, Mr. Hope. We feel 

 that we must leave a lot to administrative discretion, and we believe 

 the exercise of administrative discretion through a board such as we 

 have proposed is the most practical way of seeing that such discre- 

 tion is wisely used and avoids politics. 



Mr. Hope. You have outlined in a general way what you think the 

 qualifications of the members of the board should be. I do not recall 

 whether you gave us an exact suggestion as to the length of the terms 

 which the members of the Board should serve. What would be your 

 idea on that? 



Mr. Goss. We have suggested a board of 24 members, with 6-year 

 terms, staggered with the first ones serving 1 year and so on through 

 up to 6, so that 4 would be elected each year. 



Mr. Hope. You feel that you would not only give us a representa- 

 tive board but would provide some continuity of policy ? 



Mr. Goss. Some continuity, yes. We did consider the possibility of 

 8 years, three to be elected each year. It is just a matter of judgment 

 as between them. I would really like to have the committee give con- 

 sideration to the device which we have proposed which recognizes 

 having the names submitted to a joint committee, representative of 

 these two committees on agriculture in the House and the Senate and 

 permit them also to make recommendations. I do not think there is 

 anything like that in Government, but I do not think that is any 

 reoson why it should be turned down if it is good, and we really think 

 it is a good suggestion; we really think it will mean presenting to 

 the Senate the best qualified men for confirmation. 



Mr. Andresen. Will the gentleman yield I 



Mr. Hope. Yes. 



Mr. Andresen. Do you not believe, Mr. Goss, if you gave the board 

 members a longer term and provide they could only serve for one 

 term, that it would leave them free from political influence ? 



Mr. Goss. That might be wise. I have tried to make it clear that we 

 do not say that the suggestions we have made are 100 percent correct. 

 We are willing to see every kind of possible device used for strength- 

 ing the Board, and the suggestion for a long term rather than a short 



