AGRICULTURAL RELIEF 
29 
Mr. Kercaam. Right here, referring again to your redraft, may 1 
call your attention to the fact that the language starts out like this: 
When the advisory councils in districts which in the aggregate represent more 
than 50 per cent of anv commodity. 
That is to say, not the people who are interested in the production 
of that commodity in that district, but it says whenever the advisory 
councils in districts which represent 50 per cent of the commodity, 
ete., it may go ahead and act. Is that what your intention is? A 
good deal has been said here about action by minority. You would 
not have action by anybody, providing the council of that district 
represented a majority or the principal part of that commodity did 
not act whether or not the folks who were actually engaged in the 
production of it desire them to or not. 
Mr. Gray. Take raisins. That commodity has been mentioned. 
Let us take raisins, in answer to your question. Raisins are practi- 
cally all grown in one Federal land bank district. In that district 
they have more than 50 per cent, in the aggregate, of the entire com- 
modity. Having the findings of the advisory council of that district 
the other advisory councils would not meet, nor would the Federal 
farm board need to wait upon the findings of any other of the 11 
advisory councils. That district represents more than 50 per cent 
of the aggregate production of the commodity. The members of 
that council, seven in number—if that is the number that we shall 
leave in these recommendations—would represent the raisins of 
the district and of the country, and I do not see how the council 
could be accused in its recomniendations to the Federal farm 
board of overreaching or disregarding the wishes of the raisin 
producers when the council itself represents all commodities, raisins 
included, in the district. 
Mr. KercaaM. The fact remains, while you could not imagine it, 
yet if they wanted to do it, they could do 1t. 
Mr. Gray. Do what? 
Mr. Kercuam. If they had commodity organizations, then that 
particular point would be absolutely correct; it would never be done. 
Mr. Pur~ELL. It is not assumed, then, is it, that some districts in 
which raisins are not grown would like action on the question of an 
operating period for raisins? 
Mr. Gray. Not at all. 
Mr. Pur~NELL. They could not. 
Mr. Jones. As a matter of fact, the erucial point in this thing is 
the good faith of the board, is it not? *f you have a board that acts 
in good faith all will be well and good. it you have a board that does 
not act in good faith they can ignore any of these people if they want 
to. 
Mr. Gray. There is a great deal of justice in your remarks, Con- 
gressman Jones, but, frankly—— 
Mr. Jones (interposing). It is their responsibility but, of course, as 
in anything else, if they do not act in good faith, why, you are blown 
up anyway. 
Mr. Gray. Not absolutely. If they do not act in good faith and 
carry out the recommendations of these advisory councils represent- 
ing in the aggregate more than 50 per cent of the commodity, it is 
going to require explanation on the part of the Federal farm hoard. 
L6160—2R—sFrR EF PT 1—