GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 779 



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



Mr. WoRLEY. Mr. Chairman, I would hke to ask Mr. Edwards a 

 few questions. Mr. Edwards is not a constituent of mine, but he 

 hves in an adjoining district. I have known him for quite some 

 time; he is a typical and practical cowman. 



I recall the testimony given by the Secretary of Agriculture when 

 he was asked why the beef industry was included. It was because, I 

 think, 17 cents out of every agricultural dollar came as a result of the 

 sale of beef and the products of beef. Does that correspond to your 

 figure — approximately 17 cents? 



Mr. Edwards. It is 16}^, I think. 



Mr. WoRLEY. I also recall the cattle industry has never been in- 

 cluded in any type of governmental program except during the war 

 when there was a subsidy. 



Mr. Edwards. And wo did not ask for that. 



Mr. WoRLEY. But it was supposedly done for the cattle industry 

 and the consumers under the roll-back program? 



Mr. Edwards. Yes, sir. 



Mr. WoRLEY. I understand, further, there is nobody who is even 

 remotely connected with the cattle industry, no matter whether he is 

 a feeder or what not, who wants any part of the proposed agricultural 

 program. Is that correct? 



Mr. Edwards. I think that is correct; I am sure it is. 



Mr. WoRLEY. You do not want to shoot both barrels at the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture for some assumptions that have clearly been made 

 in testimony given this committee. He has had more than he could 

 do. However, there seems to be no question, Mr. Edwards, but what 

 there will be some sort of price-support program enacted by the cur- 

 rent session of Congress for all agricultural production. Both political 

 parties are on record for it. 



Now, let me ask you this: assuming the beef industry is left com- 

 pletely out of any program — suppose that all other meats are in the 

 program: Wliat effect do you suppose that >vill have, if any, upon the 

 beef-cattle industry if it is excluded from the program? 



Mr. Edwards. I thinlv the beef cattle people do not want any sup- 

 port at all. That is the only thing we are appearing on here. 



Mr. WoRLEY. There is no question in my mind — and I want to ex- 

 press my appreciation for the clarity of your statement — there is no 

 question in anybody's mind that you want left completely out, but, 

 before you can have any successful program under the Brannan plan, 

 3^ou have to have somebody makuig money to pay the taxes into the 

 revenue department before you can use that money to make up the 

 difference between the hog producer, for example, selling his product 

 at the market price plus the support. In other words, you have to 

 have somebody making money before you can pay it out of the Treas- 

 ury. 



Mr. Edwards. Yes. And to have a man making money for the 

 support of someone else weakens it. 



Mr. WoRLEY. In other words, we cannot lift ourselves by our 

 economic boot straps. 



Mr. Edwards. We want to see our Nation as strong as it can be, 

 and it takes strong people to make a strong nation, and, to make a 

 strong man, he has to be able to support himself Instead of bemg sup- 

 ported by the Government. 



