56

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
Mr. Gray. Compulsory pooling in what way?

Mr. CLark. Compulsory pooling of the particular product.

Mr. Gray. Pooling the product but not necessarily the producers
thereof.

Mr. CLark. Why does it not. naturally follow that you would
eliminate all of your cooperatives sooner or later, right under that
proposition.

Mr. Gray. On the contrary, under the McNary-Haugen bill or
the equalization plan, instead of eliminating the cooperatives you
enhance them because under the contractural relationships which
they go into with the Federal farm board in the handling of the
commodity which is being operated upon, at the end of their year’s
operation there will be in the cooperative organization, let us say it
may be the American Cotton Growers Exchange, the residue from
dealings of the contractural agent, to do the work which the Federal
farm board wanted done. Nobody outside of the organization will
be permitted to get that revenue or patronage dividend. There is the
inducement to come in, of that patronage dividend at the end of the
operation, as well as getting the benefit of the generally enhanced
prices, which goes to the outsider as well as the insider. The equaliza-
tion plan attracks men to the farm organizations instead of scaring
them away.

If there are no other questions, Mr. Chairman, it being almost
"dignmning time, I presume I may just say these words in con-
clusion.

If the McNary-Haugen bill is passed after approval by this com-
mittee and it does not work, if it does not do what we expect it to do
and have appeared before this committee maintaining that it will do
the responsibility lies upon those farm organizations which have so
long advocated it and are still continuing to advocate it. If any
other bill is reported, of a negative character, setting up a Federal
farm board with slight and emergency powers, only, for operation,
and it fails to do that which this committee wants it to do, that
responsibility is on this committee.

Mr. KincreLoe. Mr. Gray, just right there, before you quit.
I don’t agree with you. I think whatever bill is passed here, whether
It 1s successful or unsuccessful, the responsibility is on Congress,
because we are the people who are elected and sent here to enact laws,
and so far as I am concerned, I am ready to take my own responsibility.

Mr. Gray. Well, that is a point of view. ’

The Crairman. Have the representatives of the farmers and
definite plan of procedure mapped out?

Mr. KiLcore. Mr. Chairman, the cotton cooperatives have two
matters. I do not know whether you wish to take them up this
morning or not. We would not have time to conclude, but the cotton
Cooperatives which have organizations in 14 of the 16 States pro-
o ee ott on, have two matters which they would like to present

One of them is the insurance provision whi i i i
passed last year and the other Fone is ros dn ihe bill 3s 16

Sang i hos) Sols, cosperniives in their operations.
last year, but it was not prone oe hie the Shute Committee
like this committee to oi 0 this committee. e would

ve us an opportunity to present that, and