110

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

Union. I am here representing the grange, and I am stating that
the grange here and now Is willing to meet on any equitable proposition
 of compromise. But that does not mean signing on the dotted
line.
Mr. KincuELoE. You mean you are ready to meet them and agree
on any farm program that you, the grange. agrees on?
Mr. Taper. No, sir.
Mr. KincurLoe. You have made to efforts this year. and did not
agree.
“Mr. Taper. I am not going to be put in the position of criticizing
or of stating the position of anybody except myself.
Mr. Kincurrog. Listen, I am not asking you to put yourself in
the attitude of criticizing your people or in an offensive way.
Mr. Taper. I realize that.
Mr. KincurLor. But I do not think you should go out here and
talk about this organization, saying that Congress ought to do this
and that and the other thing. I think that the individual American
farmer, so far as the press is concerned, ought to know that the
farm leaders of the three biggest farm organizations in America, as
you admit, are here with their representatives and they can not get
together at all. That is what I want the individual American
farmer to know. ‘That is the reason I asked you that. Excuse me,
Mr. Andresen; I thought you were through a while ago.
Mr. AnprEsEN. I want to compliment you and your conferees on
(he attitude you have taken toward this committee. We recognize
our responsibility in this committee, and we are willing to assume
it; and we feel very keenly—at least I do-—the statements that you
and your conferees have made, that you fear the committee has a
responsibility and that you want to leave something to our judgment.
 We do not have to sign on the dotted line.
There are about 30 or 40 farm organizations represented in a group
of conferees down here, including the American Farm Bureau
Federation, the American Council of Agriculture, the Corn Belt
Committee, the Farmers Union, and 25 or 30 others. They have a
oroup of conferees here who are considering the farm problem.
What I would like to know, is, have these conferees ever invited vour
organization to participate in the conference?
Mz. TaBer. They have not.
“Mr. AxpreseN. Do you not think that if you received an invitation,
 representing the organization that you do, to deliberate or
participate in proceedings that you would get together just the same
7 Inanhors of this committee have to get together on this proposition
 ?
Myr. Taser. We could if all would be fair.
. Mr. AnpreseN. What is the main difficulty? What are the main
1ssues on this farm question that you can not agree on without having
accepted an invitation to attend or receive one?
Mr. Tager. The main difficulty is twofold : First, the fact that the
grange membership is more national and the fact that many of our
members ane > as indicated, purchasers of products, the price of
ght to be enhanced. There has to be offered to that
gnoup more attractive assurance that they are not penalizing themselves
 for the advantage of some other group. That is the first