730 GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 



will be available to the Secretary by the 1st of July should require, 

 under the 1938 act that marketing quotas be proclaimed, you will go 

 ahead and have the Secretary issue a proclamation calling an election 

 on or before July 25? If we should bring the Aiken law back and put 

 it into effect on July 1 , then you would have the authority to do that. 



I take it that, while Mr. Bagwell has expressed some doubt about it, 

 you may have in contemplation doing that under the old law, even if 

 the new law is not to be retroactive. 



My question is: Have you already made up your minds that under 

 one law or the other you will have a marketing quota referendum this 

 summer if the supply conditions of wheat require it? 



Mr. Walker. Generally, the thinking is that we would have a 

 referendum this summer; but, as far as I know, there has been no 

 Department policy or decision made on it. 



Mr. Hope. That is still open? 



Mr. Walker. That is still open. 



Mr. Pace. It is about time to make up your mind; is it not? 



Mr. Walker. It we are going to do it by July 25; yes. 



Mr. Pace. Unless it is treated as a matter of the very highest 

 emergency, there is no chance to pass this law that the Secretary has 

 sent over here with regard to wheat by the 1st day of July. Unless it 

 is made a matter of the highest emergency, there is a better chance of 

 passing this Senate bill, revising the provisions of the act of 1948. 

 Certainly this committee is not in a position to get into high gear or 

 determine whether or not it should get into high gear when the 

 Department itself has reached no conclusion on that question. 



It seems to me a matter of most urgent importance if you want 

 anything done — not that this committee is necessarily going to do it — 

 for the Department to reach some concrete decisions. 



Mr. Hope. Let me ask this question right along that line, Mr. 

 Chairman. The Senate has passed a bill introduced by Senator 

 Thomas. Was that a departmental bill sent up to the chairman of 

 the committee with the request that it be introduced? In other 

 words, does that represent departmental policy? 



Mr. WooLLEY. I did not hear your question, Mr. Hope. 



Mr. Hope. Referring to the Thomas bill which would advance the 

 date that the Aiken bill would go into effect as far as marketing quotas 

 and some other features are concerned, m}^ question was: Was that a 

 departmental bill? Is it the policy of the Department to urge that 

 that be done? 



Mr. WooLLEY. The answer is that we are in favor of advancing 

 that date. 



Mr. Pace. I am wondering about the consistency of that position 

 with the Secretary of Agriculture recommending that the Aiken Act 

 be repealed. 



Mr. Woolley. It is only that provision with respect to the time at 

 which you have the marketing quotas on wheat. That is what we 

 have reference to. 



Mr. Bagwell. Mr. Chairman, I would like to state again that 

 the Sohcitor has taken no formal position in regard to whether or not 

 we could proclaim quotas on the 1950 wheat crop under the 1938 act. 

 Our feeling is simply that, if this amendment which the Senate passed 

 the other day should be passed by the House, it certainly would 

 remove all doubt regarding the validity of marketing quotas on the 



