NEW DEAL: LATER STAGES 55 



Meanwhile funds had to be found to honor the contracts that originally 

 were to be financed by the processing taxes. These revenues were pro- 

 vided when on February n the Supplemental Appropriation Act ear- 

 marked some $296,185,000 to be used by the Secretary of Agriculture for 

 this very purpose. 



As had been expected, the Soil Erosion Act of 1935, with amendments 

 attached to it, furnished the basis for the new legislation. The act of 1935 

 had said that the policy of Congress was to provide "for the protection 

 of land resources against soil erosion, and for other purposes," while the 

 new measure, the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, said 

 that the policy of Congress was to promote "the conservation and profit- 

 able use of agricultural land resources." 8 



The original A.A.A. had been based on the theory that agriculture was 

 overexpanded and that "a straight-forward drive" had to be made on 

 production to reduce it. The Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment 

 Act, the new measure, was based on the contention that our land resources 

 were being recklessly exploited and that it was necessary for farmers to 

 shift from soil-depleting to soil-conserving crops. 



There were other differences, too. The corn-hog farmers got no benefits 

 as in the old program. The A.A.A. saw no way of getting at hogs except 

 through keeping down the amount of corn raised through agreements, 

 thus making less of it available to be converted into pork. As for admin- 

 istering the program, there were no contracts to be signed; county com- 

 mittees simply were to check on the "soil-building or conservation per- 

 formance." Payday came once a year for those who took part in the 

 program. 



Strangely enough, about the same time that the soil conservation pro- 

 gram was getting under way, dust storms were blowing in the Texas 

 and Oklahoma panhandles, in eastern Colorado, and in western Kansas. 

 Once more nature took a hand and once again was it to cast a strong 

 influence over the course of action that the administration would take. 10 



No sooner had the new legislation been passed than voices of appre- 

 hension were heard from the Middle West. The farmers there were fearful 

 lest the new act bring about increases in the production of feed, food 



9. U. S. Dept. Agri., A.A.A., Agricultural Conservation, 1936, pp. 2-4. 



10. "All Aboard For $470,000,000," Business Wee\ (March 28, 1936), pp. 24-25. 



