50

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
Mr. Fort. Mr. Gray, you made it very clear that you have no
personal opinions, but that they are purely official. You have read
the resolution adopted at the farm bureau meeting in December,
specifically approving the McNary-Haugen bill. Was the bill that
they then specifically approved presented to them in the form of
House bill 7940, or was it the bill that passed the last session of
Congress under that name, or was it the bill that Senator McNary
has introduced in the Senate, which varies from H. R. 7940?

Mr. Gray. Your question, Congressman Fort, can not be an-
swered with precision, because it is not stated in conformity with the
conditions which existed. In the resolution which I read awhile ago
we did not approve any particular issue of the McNary-Haugen bill.
The words are these:
We insist that legislation which contains the principles embodied in the
McNary-Haugen bill, with such improvements as experience and good judg-
ment may suggest, shall again be passed by the Congress.

That does not put any catalogue number on at all, relative to any
ziven bill.

Mr. Fort. That reads ‘Be again passed by Congress.” It refers
to the principals of the McNary-Haugen bill as previously passed.

Mr. Gray. Yes.

Mr. Fort. Whose authority have you officially, therefore, since
you have no individual opinion, to make the modifications in the
bill as it passed last session, that you are submitting to this committee?

Mr. Gray. Reading the resolution again, we find these words:

With such improvements as experience and good judgment may suggest, shall
again be passed by Congress.

Mr. Fort. Now that experience and good judgment, then, is
yours as an individual?

Mr. Gray. Not at all.

Mr. Fort. What is it?

Mr. Gray. In conference with President Thompson, in conference
with Mr. E. A. O'Neil, chairman of my legislative committee, in
conference with Charles Hearst, of Towa, president of the Iowa Farm
Bureau Federation, member of my legislative committee, in tele-
graphic conference with George M. Putnam, president of the New
Hampshire Federation and also third member of my legislative
committee, it has been decided that such amendments and changes
as are incorporated in the present Haugen bill, H. R. 7940, do not
violate the fundamental principles embodied in what we know as the
general principles of the McNary-Haugen legislation. I am not
voicing my personal opinion. I am voicing my authoritative opinion.

Mr. Fort. That is what I want to get at. "Are all those gentlemen
here except those you referred to that you got in telegraphic com-
munication with?

Mr. Gray. They will be here to-morrow.

Mr. Fort. Will you be good enough to-morrow to interview them
officially and advise us officially whether the American Farm Bureau
Federation favors the adoption of the McNary-Haugen bill with the
eaualization fee, and will accept no alternative bill?

Mr. Gray. What is your purpose in putting on the last clause?

Mr. Fort. You say you can not express a personal opinion; you
can only express an official opinion. You have been asked here to-day