AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

59

Mr. Gray. Yes.

Mr. KercaaM. A moment ago you gave a very clear and correct
answer to the question I suggested, as to the possibility of this bill,
without the equalization fee, operating at the end of two years, and
then whether we would be in a stronger or weaker position if certain
conditions did or did not develop. I want to put this question:
Supposing the bill passed, was signed, and became operative, and that
it did prove to be the thing that would do the business, how would
you feel then at the end of two years? I want to know what your
attitude of mind is. Are you absolutely committed to the proposi-
tion that 95 per cent, 96 per cent, or 97 per cent, or some per cent of
farm relief is in the equalization fee would not be needed if the un-
expected happened and the bill without the equalization fee passed
and became a law at this session?

Mr. Gray. No; we would be better under that condition.

Mr. Kercaam. Would your organization give every bit of its
strength and power to the provision of the bill that you have intro-
duced and approved, if that did become operative? I want to know
what your attitude would be now. I think you are perectly frank.
We have been perfectly frank with you, certainly. hile you are
not authorized to speak excent officially, I would like to hear your
expression of view.

Mr. Gray. You are asking the question, of course, of me as the
representative of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and I could
not answer that as definitely as you would desire me to answer, nor
as I might answer if I represented a large cooperative group. How-
ever, we are in support of cooperative groups in the Farm Bureau and
have had somewhat to do in setting up cooperative enterprises, so
I would answer your question in this way: That the cooperation which
the Federal farm board would get in putting into effect for the two
or three year period which you set up, for purposes of argument,
would largely lie upon the activities of the cooperative associations
and not with the activities of the American Farm Bureau Federation
or any of these other big national service organizations, because we
do not handle anything. We have nothing to sell or nothing to buy.
That answer would have to be given by the representatives of coop-
erative groups. But my indication of an answer would be that you
could expect from cooperative groups and from the service organiza-
tions splendid cooperation in putting into effect the bill, if passed.
This is an indication as to what my judgment would be of their
activities.

Mr. KercaaMm. You would be disappointed, of course, if the
equalization fee were not in the bill?

Mr. Gray. Surely.

Mr. Kercaam. But you would not be disappointed so far as to
enter active opposition to the working out of this bill. even if it was
not in the form which you want it in?

Mr. Gray. I think there would be no active opposition but, as I
have said—and I make the statement after conferring with a good
many cooperative leaders—I doubt whether the cooperative leade:s
would get themselves into contractural relationships with the Federal
farm board when there was a real surplus question to handle; and
that is what we want to tackle in any farm-relief legislation. I doubt
whether thev would fulfill all expectations in that recard.