AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
passed at the last session of Congress is better than” the one in the
Haugen bill.

Mr. Gray. If I should admit that there might be others in this
room from these farm groups who would deny it. I have heard
some, 1 think, of the conferees on this question, say they prefer to
have the regular method of appointing this board. They say that
ander the machinery set up last year, which was very heavy and
voluminous, made so mostly by Senate amendments, it would get
{arm organizations into strife, one against the other, as to whom
they should agree upon to be recommended to the President. They
want to avoid that.

Mr. KincaeLoE. They have changed their mind on it now and
say that this provision in the pending Haugen bill is better?

Mr. Gray. I don’t know whether they have said it is better or not,
but I know some of them have said they are perfectly willing to male
the change. So if I should say I like the provision of last year better
than the provision of this year I might not be correctly voicing the
concensus of opinion of the conference.

Mr. KincrELOE. I am asking vour opinion.
to express 1t?

Mr. Gray. I don’t care to express it, Congressman Iincheloe.
I have no personal opinions on any of these bills. I have only an
official opinion, and my official opinion, representing the American
Farm Bureau Federation, is that this bill as now drafted, relative to
the make-up of the Federal Farm Board. is satisfactory to the group
advocating the change.

Mr. KincuELOE. What do you mean
Where do you get that official opinion? :

Mr. Gray. From the mandate of the membership of the American
Farm Bureau Federation.

Mr. KincHELOE. Do you mean the farmers?

Mr. Gray. Yes, sir; those farmers who are members.

Mr. KincHELOE. Do you think the farmers thoroughly under-
stand the difference between the provision in the bill ss it passed last
year and the pending Haugen bill?

Mr. Gray. Not necessarily.

Mr. KixcHELOE. I want to tell you right now that you got more
votes on the floor of the House by reason of that being a board ap-
pointed at the direction of the farmers than anv other thing that I
know of.

Mr. Gray. Theat is a matter of opinion.

Mr. Kincr ‘Vell. you haven™ +
so you haven’ . right to express yours.

Mr. Graz. '~» what got the votes.
opinion.

Mr. KINCHELOE. As I~»
to get some information as
whose instance.

Mr. Gray. It was done, as I have said, by the concensus of opinion,
no one man deviating from this concensus of the conferees who have
been at work on this bill for more than two years.

Mr. KincueLoe. Well, where was it done?

Mr. Gray. And attached to that change in the Federal farm
board are the chances first presented in the advisory councils.

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