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.

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