AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

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meet the increased cost of production, and if that is met, then once
more we can take our place as exporters and can compete with any
nation on earth.

So we have framed our measure with that in view.

Now, you have the measure before you. I just want to call your
attention to the mechanical set-up of the organization and the ma-
chinery of the organization with which we propose to carry that
into effect.

Mr. Kincueroe. Which bill are you talking about, the Ketcham
hill ¢

Mr. Goss. The Ketcham bill, H. R. 10568. I am not going to read
all the sections to you, but I do want to read the first section, because
[ think it expresses our aims and purposes.

Mr. Aswern. What is the number of that bill?

Mr. Goss. H. R. 1056. [Reading :]

[t is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress—

fa) To afford to those agricultural commodities of which surpluses above
domestic requirements are produced in the United States the same degree of
protection which is afforded to industry in the United States by the tariff, and
to prevent such surpluses above domestic requirements from unduly depressing
the prices obtained for such commodities, and to these ends.

(b) To provide for the payment, upon exports of such commodities and of
products of such commodities, of export premiums, by means of export deben-
tures, sufficient to equalize the difference between the cost of producing such
commodities in the United States and the cost of producing such commodities
in competing foreign countries.

There is the complete outline of the bill. Running down through
it, in section 2 we provide for the creation of an ex officio board,
consisting of the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Com-
merce, and the Secretary of the Treasury-—no salaried positions. In
section 3 the board is given the usual general powers which I believe
are included in practically every bill which comes before your com-
mittee. One subsection of this section 3 provides for the board giv-
ing advice as to the distribution and marketing of crops, and another
subsection provides for the board giving advice as to planting and
breeding, aimed to assist in orderly production.

Mr. KinxcreLoe. May I ask you this question: The Ketcham bill
does not seem to have provided for an export corporation ?

Mr. Goss. No.

Mr. Kixcnewoe. Let me ask you this: Of course, the purpose of
all this farm legislation is to in some way dispose of the surplus.
Now, in the absence of an export corporation, how could you under
the Ketcham bill provide for the storing of surplus in this country
for future use? .

Mr. Goss. Under the Ketcham bill it could not be done.

Mr. Kixcueroe. That is what I am talking about.

Mr. Goss. That is another attack, Mr. Kincheloe, upon the prob-
lem I referred to, that of orderly marketing, with which we are in
full sympathy. We have felt that there were two approaches to the
same problem, and our approach has been a simple one, aiming to
meet the difference in the cost of production, and we think that
another bill covering orderly marketing is certainly meritorious.

Mr. KincuHELOE. You will admit that it is absolutely necessary to
store surpluses of nonperishable commodities in the [United States
for our own benefit. will vou not?