666
- AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
My. Fort. Then, really, under the language of the bill—I have
not studied it in detail with this particular reference in mind, not
being a milk producer—should it, or should it not, be protected so
that the fee should not go on fluid milk?
Mr. SExaUEr. I have confidence enough in the organizations
which are handling milk so that if it should or should not go on
fluid milk, that they could convince the board of it at that time.
Mr. Fort. Do you think we ought to leave all these questions to
somebody else to settle.and dodge our responsibility?
Mr. SExAUER. I did not say that.
Mr. Fort. Is not that what it comes to?
Mr. Sexaver. Why should I say whether you should dodge your
responsibilities or not? :
Mr. Fort. But you are wanting us to leave all these questions
sither to a board or some advisory council or some cooperative asso-
ciation, or somebody else. Is it not our job here to draw a piece of
legislation that has its limits and its restrictions and its powers
pretty clearly defined?
Mr. SExavEer. I would assume that that was the case. So far
as we are concerned, we would just as soon have dairy products left
out. But if they are left in—if you, in your discretionary power,
decide to leave them in—I believe we can convince anyone that it is
not necessary to operate the bill so far as those commodities are
concerned.
Mr. Jones. As a matter of fact, you would prefer to be left out for
the present?
Mr. SExAUER. I do not see the necessity for putting them in.
Mr. Fort. Then your idea, Mr. Sexauer, is that the passage of an
equalization fee bill will protect against overproduction in the dairy
industry by making it more profitable to produce in others.
Mr. SexaueR. Right.
Mr. KincaeLOE. You said you had 40,000 members?
Mr. SExAaUER. Right.
Mir. KincaeLok. In New York and some adjacent States?
Mr. SexavgeRr. Right.
Mr. KiNcHELOE. Have you any national organization?
Mr. SExAUER. Have we a national organization?
Mr. KINCHELOE. Yes.
Mr. SExXAUER. You mean Dairymen’s League?
Mr. KincHeELOE. The dairy industry.
Mr. Sexaver. The Dairymen’s League is connected with the
National Milk Producers’ Cooperative Association.
Mr. KincHELOE. Does that include the dairy industry of Minne-
sota and Wisconsin?
Mr. SExAUER. Some of it, I understand.
Mr. KincaELOE. What percentage would you say of those engaged
in the dairy industry are in the organization?
Mr. SExavER. That is very, very difficult to say, depending on
whether or not you are speaking from the standpoint of quantity
production or from the standpoint——
Mr. KincHELOE. Everything.
Mr. SexavER. Everything; from the standpoint of quantity pro-
duction, I understand there are some 300,000 to 400,000 members
in the national oreanization, and that national organization probably
