lohn Flannagcm 



iKep. from v. Va.) 



Lister Hill 



i Senator from Ala.) 



Clinton Anderson 



iSec'y of Agriculture) 



Paul HoUmon 



( Pre J . . Sludebaker Corp. ) 



T. B. Symons 



{Ag. award winner) 



FARM BUREAU 



Turns to POST-WAR TASK 



THE farmers of the American Farm 

 Bureau Federation again dedicate 

 themselves, in harmony and union 

 with all American people, to the Na- 

 tion's new task — leading a war-worn 

 world to peace. 



These words, taken from the fore- 

 word of the 27th annual convention 

 resolutions of the American Farm Bu- 

 reau Federation, may well bring a 

 thrill of pride to every Farm Bureau 

 member who reads them. They are 

 not mere words. They are backed up 

 by past performance and records. 



This devotion to the national wel- 

 fare was reflected in all the delibera- 

 tions and resolutions adopted at the 

 convention, which drew a registration 

 of 3500, the largest attendance in his- 

 tory. In considering postwar programs 

 and in making recommendations. Farm 

 Bureau delegates approached today's 

 momentous problems with a view as to 

 how agriculture could best pull to- 

 gether with all other groups. There 

 were no "me-first" expressions in any 

 of the proposals on broad national 

 questions. 



The question of parity figured prom- 

 inently in the convention discussions 

 and in the addresses of guest speakers. 

 With so much talk today of the need 

 for a change in the parity formula, it 

 is interesting to note that farmers were 

 advised to hold on to the parity prin- 

 ciple, if and when changes in the parity 

 formula were made. 



Said Secretary of Agriculture Clinton 

 P. Anderson in addressing the conven- 

 tion: "The farmer should hold firmly 

 to the parity principle, which is his first 

 and to date his best measure of the 

 balance of agriculture in the whole 



President O'Neal (left) pins AFfifs high- 

 est award ior distinguished service to 

 American agriculture on coat lapel of 

 retiring Vice President Earl C. Smith. 



economy. If parity needs to be changed, 

 I believe the farmer and his friends 

 should make the change." 



Secretary Anderson added, however, 

 that there was need for some adjust- 

 ment in the parity formula as it applied 

 to certain commodities. 



He further stated that he was not 

 "committed to any particular formula. 

 I do believe we should consider various 



lAA Organization Director O. D. Brissen- 

 den (leit) reads list oi Illinois counties 

 honored in membership drive. Counsel 

 Donald Kirkpatrick (right) talks beiore 

 AFBF general session. 



possibilities with extreme care, taking 

 into account the many great changes 

 taking place today." 



Discussing reconversion, Secretary 

 Anderson said, "Agriculture is willing 

 to be the lead horse. It is not, how- 

 ever, willing that the rest of the team 

 shall lag in the traces and expect the 

 farm to carry the whole load. Farmers 

 have tried it before with disastrous re- 

 sults to themselves and to the nation. 

 If we are going to use the great pro- 

 ductive capacity of America we must 

 have a well matched team with agri- 

 culture, labor and industry, pulling to- 

 gether to achieve the high standard of 

 American living we' are so capable of 

 producing." 



Congressman John Flannagan of 

 Virginia in his discussion of parity 

 said : ". . .There can be no doubt about 

 the soundness of the parity concept. 

 The trouble comes when we attempt to 

 put the concept into practice by estab- 

 lishing parity prices. . . What we should 

 do is this: We should reexamine parity 

 and work out a formula that will, as far 

 as humanly possible, level down the pres- 

 ent valleys and peaks, and bring about the 

 proper price relationship with respect to 

 all farm products. 



"And, may I add, that in my opinion 

 it is humanly impossible to write with 

 one stroke of the pen a parity law that 

 will hold good on down through the 

 years. We will, if we maintain even 

 approximately correct parity prices have 

 to modernize the law from time to time. 

 Having established parity prices, the job, 

 however, is only one-half completed. 

 It is an idle gesture to establish parity 

 prices unless we take the next step and 

 make parity prices effective." 



Congressman Flannagan also de- 

 clared that if we are to place farming 



, I. A. A. RECORD 



