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THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY, JULY 17, 1949
Farm Facts
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"lax bc We Should 'Year Uniformis"
A SURPRISE econ quiz on Friday gave
me the impetus to delve into the myster-
ies of farm legislation.
Surprisingly enough, the stuff is not too
bad after all, at least in its general form.
I found the Aiken Agricultural Act of 1948
to be a comparatively flexible piece of
legislation with a minimum in rigidity of
Federal controls.
In the Aiken Act, the Secretary of Agri-
culture is authorized to support prices
of agricultural commodities to farmers
through loans, purchases, payments, and
other operations.
In the price support provisions taking
effect on January 1, 1950, price supports will
be flexible, depending upon the levels of
supply. Unless necessary to increase sup-
plies to meet national emergencies, these
price supports would not exceed 90 per cent
of parity.
(According to my econ. instructor, "parity"
is a relation between the price of a farrq
product and those of non-farm products in
a certain base period. The non-farm pro-
ducts are the things bought by farmers, and
the base period is usually one in which farm
products* were in a relatively strong posi-
tion.)
In the Aiken Act the Secretary of Agri-
culture will have the authority beginning
January 1, to adjust the support levels
downward whenever supplies become ex-
cessive in relation to domestic and export
demand. The absolute minimum price
support for the basic commodities-wheat,
corn, cotton, tobacco, rice, and peanuts-
is 60 per cent of parity.
The theory behind this flexibility is that
when there is a continual excessive produc-
tion of one farm commodity, some of the
excess producers will be induced to grow
other less-plentiful products in order to
maximize their profits. This, in turn, would
lessen the amount of dependence by the
farmer upon Federal spending.
If, however, acreage allotments and mar-
keting quotas were in effect, the price sup-
port would not be less than 72 per cent of
parity and could, of course, be established at
a higher level, if necessary.
An interesting comparison is here noted
in that just' before the war the maximum
price support was around 60 per cent of
parity, also on a flexible basis.
(The controversial Brannan proposal pro-
vides for a permanent inflexible 100 per
cent price support, regardless of continual
excessive production.)
In addition to having flexibility in parity
methods of price support, the Aiken Bill,
Which was drafted by Senator George D.
Aiken of Vermont, is flexible in another
direction.
In all cases the Secretary of Agriculture
is to give consideration to the practicality
of supporting prices indirectly, as by the
development of improved merchandising
methods, rather than directly by purchase
or loan.
Finally, overall controls over farm activi-
ties are not so stringent as those which
would necessarily have to be applied under
a program of rigid price supports. In the
latter case, great Federal controls would be
necessitated in order to try to keep farm
surpluses within manageable bounds while
guaranteeing farmers price floo'rs at perma-
nently high and rigid levels.
Under the Aiken bill, the farmer is pro-
tected from the dangers of wide price fluc-
tuations. He is also protected from over-
regulation by the Federal government.
At the same time the consumer is not
compelled to pay the larger taxes needed to
finance a farm program of inflexible char-
acter.
-David Belin
I T IS ALWAYS RIGHT that a man should
be able to render a reason for the faith
that is within him.
-Sydney Smith.
CORRESPONDENCES. .are like . small-
clothes before the invention of suspen-
ders; it is impossible to keep them up.
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Editorials published in The Michigan Daily
are written by members of The Daily staff
and-represent the views of the writers only.
NIGHT EDITOR: PAUL BRENTLINGER
ON THE
Washi'ngton Merry-Go-Round
WITH DREW PEARSON
11
III
WASHINGTON-Some one of the multi-
tudinous functionaries around the
White House who are supposed to conserve
the President's time should go to a little
trouble to check on White House callers
before admittance. Apparently the Presi-
dential secretaries think Harry Truman has
time to see just about every Tom, Dick and
Harry.
The other day, they even admitted Cecil
Palmer, a visiting Englishman, now tour-
ing the U.A.S. under the sponsorship of
Merwin K. Hart, prominent apologist for
Franco and once described by Justice
Robert Jackson as "well-known for his
pro-fascist .leanings."
Harold Ickes also called Hart a leader of
"native fascist groups." Yet Palmer, the
man Hart is sponsoring and who has been
touring the country attacking the same
policies Truman is sponsoring, was admitted
for a special audience with the President
of the United States.
NOTE-Much more choosy than Harry
Truman, the Commonwealth Club of San
Francisco, the Cincinnati Chamber of Com-
merce, and the Union League Club of Chi-
cago canceled speeches by Palmer - after
they investigated.
* * * ~
HOW FLYING OFFICERS SHOULD PARK
If the air force has as much trouble fly-
ing its planes as it has parking its cars
at the Pentagon it is doubtful if any Ameri-
can military planes would ever get off the
ground.
Air force personnel stationed at the
Pentagon were recently presented with
instructions from the air force parking
control officer on when, where, and how
to park at the Pentagon. The memo was
so detailed it took five pages to tell the
story.
It even included a sample form contain-
ing 21 blank spaces to be filled in, instruc-
tions on how close to park to trees, where
to place the parking stickers upon receipt,
the angle at which to park, and a list of
instructions to "aid" in filling out the neces-
sary forms.
Here are some of the instructions:
"Individuals losing permits (stickers) will
be required to sign a 'certificate of loss' in
duplicate and clip same to a newly prepared
form NME 196.
Permits are to be placed on the sun visor
or rear view mirror. Any violations of these
instructions are subject to prosecution by
the United States Court, Alexandria, Va.
"The information requested on the
brown kraft envelope (5-7/8 in. wide by
3-3/4 in. high) is to be typed in caps.
"The parking registration (form NME
196) is to be clipped not stapled to the
front of the envelopes.
"Parking in a vacant lane other than the
lane to which assigned during normal duty
hours is a violation subject to prosecution
by the United States Court."
The detailed instructions, some 2,400 words
in length, even demanded that, in filling
out parking applications, the "top of 'name'
must be within % inch of bottom of card"
and "top of 'state' must be within % inch
of bottom of card.
It looked very much as if some military
red-tape artist with nothing else to do had
sat down and figured out how best to use
up more of Uncle Sam's money.
* * *
FARM FIREWORKS
House Democrats staged some interesting
fireworks when they caucused behind closed
doors over the Brannan Farm Bill.
Tennessee's Albert Gore touched off the
fireworks when he demanded that the farm
bill be recommitted to the Agriculture Com-
mittee, because it gave Secretary Brannan
too much control over farm economy and
income. Also, he said, price supports should
be more flexible in order to deal with
changing crop conditions.
"We are rushing too fast into something
we don't know too much about," challenged
Gore. "Not enough thought has been given
to this bill."
Rep. Granger of Utah, one of the draft-
ers of the bill, was quick to reply. Bristling
with rage, he declared: "What the gentle-
man has said reminds me of . the old
saying that a little learning is a dangerous
thing.
"We've been studying this legislation al-
most continuously for two years, but here he
comes along, probably without reading the
bill, and says we're all wrong. I could un-
derstand this from a 90-day wonder, but the
Gentleman amazes me."
Warming to the attack, Granger con-
tinued:
"You'll either have to accept the Brannan
formula, which tells a farmer what he will
get for his crops beforehand, or go on
achin' with the Aiken (flexible support)
formula, which tells him afterward."
ADVICE FROM BIG CITY
Tennessee's Gore was back on his feet
in a jiffy.
"I can't see any sense in giving the
Secretary the right to declare subsidies on
three farm commodities, as this bill does,
and not on the others. That's like trying
to keep three fleas on a hot griddle, with
the others flying around loose. It's like
price controls. You can't control one.
You've got to control them all or you
can't equitably control any."
A substantial majority of the caucusers
sided with Granger. However, freshman
Tauriello from Buffalo stole the show with
a dramatic appeal for greater North-South
understanding among his colleagues.
"We from the cities are not opposed to
this legislation," he declared. "We want to
go along with you fellows from the South
in anything that will benefit your people.
That's because the Democratic Party is for
the best interests of all the country.
"At the same time we expect you to
understand our problems and vote like
Democrats when Taft-Hartley repeal and
other bills that help city people are de-
bated here.
"If you want us to stand by you, you've
got to stand by us. Let's all be Democrats
all the time and support legislation that is
good for the cities and the farms."
The fiery Italian-American got the big-
gest hand of the day, most of the applause
coming from his southern colleagues.
* * *
DESIGNER VAUGHN
Maj. Gen. Harry Vaughan may not be
popular with the press but you have to
give him credit for setting styles in the
Army. In fact, he has become the Army's
No. 1 fashion plate.
It seems that the President's military aide
has a weakness for glittering uniforms as
well as glittering medals. So last year he
barged over to the Pentagon Building to an-
nounce that Mr. Truman was tired of seeing
his military aides looking like "bus drivers."
The Commander-in-Chief, he said, wanted
the Army to design a fancy dress uniform
that would stand up alongside the dazzling
costumes worn by South American generals.
Army designers went to work on the
project but, after six months, they still
couldn't agree on the right amount of
dazzle. So the impatient General Vaughan,
whose rank permits him to wear whatever
he likes, designed his own fancy dress
uniform.
He worked out the pattern with a tailor,
and showed up one evening at a Perle Mesta
party in his own creation-long tails trim-
med with gold braid. It was something which
would go-well with the bejeweled medal pre-
sented to him by dictator Peron.
General Eisenhower spotted Vaughan at
the party and was full of admiration. In
fact, Eisenhower liked it so well that he
ordered a suit made up just like it. This set
the style and has now become the Army's
official dress uniform.
Not satisfied, General Vaughan also
wanted more glitter with his everyday uni-
form. And, envious of 'the gold-braided
loop that naval aides wear suspended from
one shoulder, Vaughan suggested that
Army aides also wear a glittering loop-det
loop.
The Army brass hats wouldn't authorize
this extra gold braid, but reminded Vaughan
that he could wear all the fancy trimmings
he chose. So the roguish White House aide
braided his own golden loop-de-loop. By
chance this caught the eye of Army Chief
of Staff Omar Bradley, who liked it so well
that he authorized it for all Army aides.
So, once again, General Vaughan set
style for the Army.
(Copyright, 1949, by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
-''. .11
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MATTER OF FACT
by JOSEPH ALSOP
9 they are received all letters bearing The two policies complement
the writer's signature and address. each other. ECA will slow or stop
WJASHINGTON-Against the vast panorama of world events, it Letters exceeding 300 words, repeti- the growth of the Communists
VT tious letters and letters of a defara-
may seem a rather trivial matter that the Alien Property Cus- tory character or such letters which within, but it does not promise
todian is negotiating with Swiss interests for a final disposition of tarst awnther reason are nt i France anyhelp if the Red Army
the General Aniline and Film Corporation. The negotiations are nec- editors reserve the privilege of con- should march-and the marching
densing letters.ditnetthRieisucm
essary, because the Swiss company, I. G. Chemie, claims to own s * , distance to the Rhine is uncom-
most of General Aniline. But Alien Property Custodian David Baselon Pact fortably short.
asserts that General Aniline was in fact German-owned, and there- Atlantic c...These and many other argu-
aserts atyGseealby niiheU.sinwaterm anTo the Editor: ments have already been rehears-
fore fairly seized by the U.S. in war time. Mr. Brentlinger's editorial chal- ed in the press-though ignored
If and when a settlement is made, General Aniline will be sold lenges the North Atlantic Pact as by Mr. Brentlinger and Sen. Taft.
to private purchasers by the Alien Property Custodian. Victor a contributor to world peace, say- The North Atlantic Pact (which
Emanuel, the financier who fancies politicians almost equally with ing that the joining together of is within the framework of the
race horses, is mentioned as a likely buyer. Another claimant is the nations to offer "a powerful front UN, and which does not under-
Remington Rand Corporation. Since the company made nearly $9 to an aggressor" has never been mine that organization) will not
million net last year, it'is worth having. successful in promoting peace, but insure eternal peace. It will ,how-
rather has usually led to war. ever, discourage the aggressor,
All these facts might better appear on the financial page, if If this is so, we must ask, "What and hence promote peace. To fail
it were not for one significant point. The history of General Ani- is the alternative to the past?" It to ratify it now would be to en-
line, since it was taken over by the U.S. government after Pearl is the alternative that Laval of- courage Russia, and to offer her
Harbor as a concealed asset of I. G. Farben, has been a strategi- fered Ethiopia; that Chamberlain a free hand to rattle the sabre
cally political history. In the beginning, it was a main prize in gave Czechoslovakia. It is sub- again and intimidate the nations
the embittered contest for control of enemy assets between former mission to aggression. If we fail of Western Europe. To reject it
Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr., and former to ratify and to implement the would be to promote the peace
Foreign Economic Administrator Leo Crowley. Pact, we will be delivering West- that exists between the python
ern Europe over, a piece at a and the rabbit.
Morgenthau had the edge initially, and named General Aniline's time, to Russia, just as Chamber- Somehow I doubt if even Sen.
first governmentally chosen President and Board of Directors. The lain delivered the Czechs to Hitler Taft wants that kind of peace.
Morgenthau epoch in General Aniline did not last long, however. In -and without asking permission He may not care about England
1942, Crowley got what he wanted, and was named Alien Property of the victims. or France (though he feels "hu-
Custodian with full authority. Almost immediately the Morgenthau- The situation is, of course,, more manitarian" towards them), but
named president of General Aniline, Robert E. McConnell, and all complicated in the case of the even he knows that Russia has
the Morgenthau-named directors, were tossed into the discard, present "cold war" than it was named us as the ultimate enemy.
with Hitler, for we must also pre- Ratification of the North At-
They were replaced by a new group with what can only be vent the growth of internal dis- lantic Pact does not insure peace,
called a strong Victor Emanuel flavor. And this was really not so sention in France and other coun- but it would insure war to reject
surprising, since the man who chose them, Leo Crowley, has always tries where economic distress and it.
been so close to Emanuel that he is now comfortably installed as the cruel punishment of war have--Robert J. Good
president of Emanuel's big utilities combine, Standard Gas and
Electric.
The new president of General Aniline was George W. Burpee, D AILILE
of the Emanuel-connected firm of management engineers, Cover-daenopl.OFFICIALsiUmHETINo
dale and~ Colpitts. Another director was William H. Coverdale of_________________
the same firm. Another was Louis Johnson, the present Secretary
of Defense, who was also named a director of the Consolidated (Continued from Page 3) day at 4:15 in the West Confer-
Vultee Aircraft 'Corporation when this aviation company was con- ence Room, Rackham Building.
trolled by Emanuel. ent Mediterranean World to West-
ern Culture. Russian Circle Meeting. Mon-
A little later, Emanuel himself came onto the General Aniline -day, July 18, 8:00 o'clock, at the
board. So did his great crony, the President's court jester, George Michigan Historical Collections, International Center. Movie: Peo-
Allen. So did our prosperous but not strikingly brilliant Ambassador 156 Rackham Building. Sketches ples of the USSR. All interested
to Guatemala, Richard Patterson, who was also made a Consolidated and architectural plans of Irving are invited.
Vultee director in the Emanuel era. K. Pond.
This was not all. Burpee received a rather generous raise in 1 OpE. University, Monday,caJul,
salary, from the $33,333 per annum paid to McConnell, to $50,000 Ci Events 18th, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m
per annum. Meanwhile, Louis Johnson, although already fairly busy French speakers welcome.
as a partner in the important law firm of Steptoe and Johnson, was The White Steed, starring Whit- e
concurrently named President of the General DyestuffsCorporation.ford Kane as Canon Matt Lavelle, The weekly square dancing class
This is a sort of corporate Siamese twin of General Aniline, holding will be presented by the De- The w y square ing
most of he arg r c mpa "~s pat nts Jo nso~s ala y, hic he partm ent of Speech W ednesday spoisored by the Graduate Outing
most of the larger company's patents. Johnson's salary, which he through Saturdaycat the Lydia Club will be held Tuesday, July
drew until 1947, was also set at $50,000 per annum. Mendelssohn Theater. Mr. Kane 19, at 8:00 p.m. in the Women's
Mendeisohn ThatAt.hM.eKaneBuilding. There is a
In 1947 when Johnson stepped out as president of General created the lead role of this play Athletic Biing. Theryose
Dyestuffs, his firm of Steptoe and Johnson were named as General in the pre-Broadway try-out and small admission charge. Everyone
Counsel both of General Aniline and General Dyestuffs. The ap- starred in The Theater Guild pro- welcome.
pointment was profitable, bringing in more than $120,000 in fees duction of The White Steed thate HC
in the first couple of years. Steptoe and Johnson remain on the toured the United States. All per- Sociedad Hispanica: Conversa-
jo. sy formances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets tion group meets Tuesday at the
;ob. , *0 are on sale at the Mendelssohn Spanish House, 1219 Washtenaw,
There was a change in the management of General Aniline, how- Theater box office, Michigan Lea- from 4-5:30. Faculty and students
ever, late in 1947. In that year, in the course of a struggle with Howard gue Bldg. are cordially invited.
Hughes, Jack Frye lost his place as head of the great, politically
active Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc. Frye was and is close Central Michigan Alumni Din- Churches
to former Postmaster General Robert Hannegan. Hannegan is re- ner, Thursday, July 21, 6:30 p.m.
ported to have said a word to Attorney General Tom C. Clark, whose Women's League Tea Room. Meet Communion Service will be ob-
department now includes the Alien Property Custodian's office. At anyb served at the First Presbyteria
rate, George W. Burpee ceased to be General Aniline's President, and U. of Mich. Hostel Club: Meet- ha.m Dr. Lemon's sermon topic
Frye fell out of T.W.A. into a very soft General Aniline mattress. ing at 7:15 on Tuesday, July 19, will be "Why Suffering?" At the
He was made president of General Aniline at $50,000 a year, and at Lane Hall. Slides will be shown 5:30 p.m. Summer Vesper Service
concurrently president of General Dyestuffs at $25,000 a year. Then of a trip to Mexico. Everyone in- Dr. Howard Y. McClusky wil
last year, when General Aniline showed a large additional profit, his terested in bicycling, hiking, ca- speak on "Man's Inner World.
salary was raised to $72,00, so that he now receives altogether noeing, or square dancing is wel- Supper will be served at 6:30 p.m
$97,000 a year from the two companies. Meanwhile, although Frye has University Lutheran Chapel
brought in some new men, at least four Emanuel-connected directors India Colloquium: "A G.I. in 1511 Washtenaw: Bible Stud3
remain on the General Aniline board. Thus it is to be presumed that India," speaker, Murton Peer, Re- Class Sunday at 10:00. Service a
everybody is happy. Politics, in truth, can be both happy business search Economist, Michigan State 11, with sermon by the Rev. A
and profitable business. Bureau of Employment; Profes- Scheips, "The Gospel of Peace.'
(Copyright. 1949, New York Herald Tribune, Inc.) sor A. E. Wood, Chairman. Tues- (Continued on Page 6)
1
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LOOKING
BACK
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35 YEARS AGO:
T HE RIVALRY between the engineers and
lawyers sprang up again and the lawmen
got the worst of it when they lost a 3-2 ball
game. But there are several more games be-
tween the two teams and the lawyers are
laying for the boilermakers.
* *
25 YEARS AGO:
The long myth of "no such animal as
white Indians" was shattered when an ex-
plorer brought a family of them from Pan-
ama. The children had blonde hair, hazel
eyes and pink skins, but the parents were
wear that old jersey with Michigan fondly
stamped on it. But polo shirts are ok, as well
as sport shirts. Dress shirts can be worn with
or without a jacket, but always with a tie.
And sleeves must not be rolled above the
elbows. If you don't wear a jacket, suspenders
are strictly verboten.
* * *
5 YEARS AGO:
Theodo're Roosevelt, Jr., son of the late
president, died of a heart attack in a cap-.
tured German truck in Normandy after sur-
viving the invasion of North Africa, Sicily
and France. He will be buried in France,
Fifty-Ninth Year
Edited and managed by students of the University
of Michigan under the authority of the Board in
Control of Student Publications.
Editorial Staff
BARNABY
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