540

AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

Mr. ANDERSON. No. :
The CuamrmaN. If a board is to be established, what is to be its
functions?
Mr. Anperson. I think, first of all, that the board would have——
The CrairMAN. Just give information and to disseminate information?

Mr. AnpeErsoN. No, not at all. I think, first of all, the board
would have to assemble, as I have said, several times before all the
available data——
The CHAIRMAN. You think to disseminate information is of value?
Mr. AnpersoN. I think that has some advantage, but I would not
set up a board simply for that purpose, because I think that can be
done by the Agricultural Department now.
The CuairmMaN. I would be interested in knowing what you had in
mind as to what is to be the function of the board.
Mr. AxpErsoN. I think the board might assist in developing economic
 and commercial methods and organizations, and in financing
organizations through which it might be possible to bring about some
degree of stabilization of agricultural prices and prevent abnormal
surpluses from exerting a pressure upon the price which brings it
below economic levels and results in general disaster, not only to
agriculture, but to industry generally. That is the only way I can
state 1t.
I am not prepared to say that the set-up which is made in this bill
and the powers which are given it in the form in which they are given
in it, without further limitations and statements of policies than the
bill now contains, might not go a great deal further than I think the
board ought to go. That is all.
In other words, I am trying to put myself, so far as I am able to, in
a position of agreement with the sound objects which I think this
committee desires to attain, and at the same time point out the dangers
which I think are present, unless the board is limited to the attainment
 of what I think are sound objectives rather than unsound objectives;
 in other words, if I might just add one sentence, I think the
objective of stimulating the price to the domestic consumer to an
uneconomic level is unsound. I do not think that an attempt based
apon proper organization and methods to stabilize the price over a
crop year and over a period of years is impossible.
Mr. Apkins. Now, then, I want to finish before I get too far away
from my part of the record. Speaking about the existing market
agencies, you do not understand—at least I have not that understanding—that
 those functions of this board being confined to the
surpluses, that it should have or does have anything to do with
going back and messing into our agencies that are handling the
commodities that compose our domestic markets:
Mr. AnpErsoN. Mr. Adkins, you can not separate the surplus of a
commodity and deal with that surplus without reference to that
portion of the crop which is not surplus. Surpluses are of two kinds:
There - are surpluses that exist over the present and immediate
demand for the commodity, such as, for instance, the wheat surplus
during the selling season. = You could not stabilize the price of that
commodity unless that temporary surplus which is now carried by
private agencies was considered in the attempt to stabilize the price.
The second kind of. a surplus is the surplus which is carried over