72

AGRIOULTURAL RELIEF
president of the Staple Cotton Cooperative Association of Mississippi,
both of those gentleinen residing in my congressional district, Mr.
Bledsoe being the first and only president of the Staple Cotton
(‘ooperative Association, which is probably the strongest and most
successful of all the cotton cooperative associations in the South.

I might say in this connection, Mr. Chairman, that those of us
who advocated that which we are pleased to call the insurance plan,
probably for want of a better name, did not have the privilege of
appearing before this committee in the second session of the Sixty-
ninth Congress, but.-were privileged to appear before the Senate
Committee on Agriculture, and hearings were had on this feature.
As a result of those hearings, the insurance feature was incorporated
in the bill as passed by the Senate and the House.

[ may say this word, also, that personally I think the language in
the Senate bill, as passed by the Sixty-ninth Congress, could be
clarified, but the principle that we were advocating then is.the principle
we are advocating now. The insurance feature, in one form or another
is embodied in all agricultural legislation.

Mr. Swank. That is, insurance against the prices?

Mr. WarrTingToN. For the price at the time of delivery, against

seasonal decline.

Mr. Swank. That is practically the same thing that you presented
to the House?

Mr. WaiTTINGTON. Yes.

Mr. Apkins. Was any reference made to that in the veto message,
to that measure?

Mr. WairtiNngTON. Yes. The President did not understand, with
all due deference to him, the principle we were advocating then and
are now advocating, any better than some Members of Congress.
I think he formed the conclusion that the insurance feature was a
guaranty that the grower would receive the highest prices during the
season, whereas the principle is an insurance against a seaaonable
decline from the price that obtains at the time of delivery. It in-
volves seasonable prices which I want Mr. Bledsoe to present and
explain to you, and, I think, as I said a few moments ago, that the
language embodying the insurance feature can be clarified so that the
principle will probably be stated in clearer language.

Mr. Apkins. He made that objection?

Mr. WHITTINGTON. Yes; he made that objection. There was no
objection on the part of the Executive to the legality or the constitu-
tionality of the proposed insurance legislation.

, My rm, Where could the insurance plan be inserted in the
ending ]

Mr. WHITTINGTON. As I recall, it was parts of sections 6 and 12 in
the bill as passed by the Sixty-ninth Congress. I have not examined
all the pending hills, and I do not know in which particular paragraph
or section of any bill it might be inserted, but I would say it can
be inserted in the appropriate part of any of the bills.

Mr. AswerL. Why was that left out of the McNary bill?

Mr. WaiTTINGTON. I do not know.

Mr. AsweLL. And you do not know who wrote the McNary bill?
Mr. Warrrixeron. I do not know, but I assume that the author
wrote it. That is ‘only an assumption on my part, just as I assume
vou wrote vour own hill