GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 1051 



Our case is this. Tung is out of the experimental and promotional stage. It 

 is a sound, vital industry upon which thousands depend for a livelihood. We 

 do not ask for 1944 prices. We ask only careful consideration of a policy that 

 will help the industry maintain a price in keeping with other commodities. Such 

 a price will enable our area to keep pace and assure industrial and governmental 

 users of an adequate supply of oil. 



That policy simply means adding tung oil to the parity list. 



(From the Picayune Item] 



What About Parity on Tung Oil, Too? 



Last week the southern press carried a news story, which stated that "a con- 

 gressional hearing will be had by tung growers of the deep South within the next 

 3 weeks." This announcement was made known through a letter from Congress- 

 man William M. Colmer of this district. We have no fear of Mr. Colmer's atti- 

 tude on the hearing, because he is from the section of our country, which produces 

 this important material and knows first hand what this crop means to the economy 

 of this section as well as the entire country. 



This new American industry has taken a terrible beating, to put it mildly, 

 since the end of the war. First, because it was taken out of competition with its 

 competitors, when the War and Navy Departments commandeered every drop of 

 tung oil produced in the United States during this time of crisis. It was all 

 important in the war effort, it will be noted. 



Secondly, in the removing from the open market of this, "so vital" material, its 

 consumers, of necessity, were compelled to seek a substitute, for their formulas, 

 and we are told that the changing of these formulas is an expensive business. So 

 it is only natural that in these unsettled times these same manufacturers, who 

 were compelled to change their methods of operation, at great costs, as other 

 patriotic citizens did in the fight for survival of their country do not feel so ready 

 to take it on the chin again. 



While there is now an absence of a shooting war, these industrialists cannot 

 forsee a lengthy period in this status and quite naturally feel reluctant to make 

 such a change of formulas at this time, lest they be caught again. 



As we study this case, we can see these consumers' point of view. We are not, 

 however, blinded by the fact that World War II is over with, and every business 

 should operate on its own. However, we do not believe that it will take any 

 philosopher or sage to reason that this young American industry deserves and 

 should receive the same consideration, at least, as its competitors are receiving, 

 with its greatest opponent material being a product of Argentina, linseed or 

 flax oil. 



This last-mentioned item is on parity. We have no bones to pick on this 

 subject. But what about tung oil. The American product. Shouldn't our 

 own "patriotic," critical in wartime material receive the same consideration? 

 We think so. 



Mr. O'Connor. Mr. Chairman, and other members of the com- 

 mittee, that brief is a brief by the American Tung Oil Association in 

 support of Congressman Cohiier's and Congressman Gathings' bill, 

 as you have heard, there is approximately 200,000 or 250,000 acres 

 of cut-over pine lands now planted in the Gulf Coastal Plains to tung 

 trees. These tung trees are planted on land that once grew the long 

 leaf yellow pine timber which has since been depleted. Before this 

 timber was cut from these lands, these lands were valued at $100 per 

 acre for tax purposes. The valuation dropped to $1 per acre after the 

 timber was severed, and many owners let the lands go back to the State 

 rather than pay taxes on this dollar per acre valuation. 



The tung growers, although they are in the young stage of bearing, 

 now are assessed at $7.-50 or more per acre. So you can readily see 

 that there has been a gain in taxes to the State or county which derives 

 this revenue. 



In addition, the tung industry gives employment to many thousands 

 of people who have no other means of livelihood. If the tung industry 



