GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 877 



At this time, Mr. Chairman, I woiikl hke to thank the Eighty-first 

 Congress for their giving new hfe to the Commodity Credit Corpora- 

 tion. The farmers in my area think a whole lot of that commodity 

 loan program. They feel that there should be permanent storage 

 facilities, rather than those of a temporary nature, something that 

 we could adequately keep this grain in condition for periods of two 

 or more years, if necessary. 



With that kind of a loan program, with that kind of storage, we 

 could have a full 100 percent loan program. 



The Federal crop insurance program has not proved out very suc- 

 cessful in our country, at least. The cost to the Government has 

 been too great for the benefits derived by it. 



A. Federal crop depository for surplus grains or portions of surplus 

 grains with the producers merely taking a deposit slip would make 

 100 percent crop insurance, rather than 50 or 75 percent insurance, 

 whereby the producer would always have a parity income regardless 

 of weather hazards. This would stabilize our national economy for 

 no matter whether a farmer lives in South Dakota, Georgia, or Texas, 

 we have crop losses, high and low yields. This insurance could be 

 handled just as a bank handles credits and debits. This to be a self- 

 supporting insurance program of 100 percent. 



Continuing with soil conservation, this is the only place that I 

 see a subsidy proper. Our soil is rapidly and at an alarming rate 

 becoming depleted. For the United vStates to remain great our soil 

 must not be so depleted. The soil fertility must be retained for genera- 

 tions to come, and as such it becomes the duty of society to pay that 

 cost. 



That concludes my remarks, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Pace. Thank you very much, Mr. Jones, and I might say that 

 the committee is delighted to have men like you fresh off the farm, and 

 the experience you have had in the past programs, to come and give 

 us your views. 



Mr. Jones. Thank you. 



Mr. Pace. Our next witness today is Mr. H. R. Justice, who is in 

 the lumber and building business in Calcis, Ala. We will be delighted 

 to hear from you, Mr. Justice. 



STATEMENT OF H. R. JUSTICE, CALCIS, ALA. 



Mr. Justice. I appreciate this opportunity of appearing here. 

 Evidently I am a different kind of witness from most others, from 

 possibly all others appearing here today, inasmuch as I am not sent 

 here by anybody, I am not representing anybody or trying to represent 

 anybody. I am here today entirely on my own volition. 



Furthermore, I am not a farmer, and have no direct interest in 

 farming. I am primarily in the lumber and building business. I 

 will not try to read entirely from my prepared statement. I will just 

 speak somewhat. 



I do have a great indirect interest in farming, in all kinds and 

 types of farming, to the extent I would like to see everyone engaged 

 in all kinds of farming have their income stabilized to a point that 

 would be profitable to all, if this could be done, but I am most espe- 

 cially interested indirectly in the lower class of our farmers, princi- 

 pally our tenant farmers, the ones who are the most underprivileged,. 



