AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

R67
would cover—assuming that there is an average stl -
lent to ours—25 to 30 per cent. That is more or Productio estimate.
I would hate to be held to those figures. oT

Mr. KincHELOE. You are under the impression, if T understood
you in your answer to Mr. Fort, that in the McNary-Haugen bill
that is now being considered dairy products were not considered a
basic product?

Mr. SEXAUER. Not a basic product? The gentleman—I do not
know his name—rather convinced me that it could be considered
with the agricultural commodities under the terms of the bill.

Mr. KINCHELOE. There is no doubt about that. The revised bill
covers any agricultural commodity. Under the bill that passed the
House last session there were only five basic commodities.

Mr. JoxEs. And milk was not included?

Mr. KincHELOE. Milk was not included in the former bill. Do
you think if your organization had any idea at all that milk and
butter would be designated as one of these commodities, or two of
these commodities, and that they had to pay an equalization fee on
them, they would be for this bill?

Mr. SExAuEr. The interests we have operated for a period of
seven years under a pooling plan, which is very similar to the equal-
ization fee. I suspect there would not be verv much obiection after
they fully understood it.

Mr. KixcHELOE., Then you think that the members of the Dairy-
men’s League would be for this law which would take in butter and
milk and other products of the cow, knowing when it is done there
would be an equalization fee levied upon the producers of those
commodities?

Mr. SExavEer. Once they understood it, yes.

Mr. KiNcHELOE. You think there would? But your organization,
if I understand it. has never contemplated anvthing like that hap-
pening?

Mr. Sexaver. They felt it was not necessary.

Mr. KiNncHELOE. Therefore, when you resoluted, if you did on
the McNary-Haugen bill, your membership understood at that time
that dairy products would never be considered and therefore they
would never have to pay an equalization fee?

Mr. Sexaver. Well, I think the thing they understood was that
other branches of agriculture were in very bad shape and would affect
the dairy industry if something was not done for those other branches.

Mr. KixcueLoE. They understood that and they also understood
there would be no operating period declared on any products of their
industry.

Mr. SExavEr. It is probably true they understood that from talk.

Mr. KincHELOE. Of course, you are just guessing as to what
they would think about the matter if they were convinced. that there
would be an operating period declared on these dairy products and an
equalization fee put on them? -

Mr. SExAUER. If there was an operating period declared on these
dairy products and an equalization fee put on them, probably the
dairy industry would be in such a depressed state that they would
desire something like that to happen.

. Mr. KiNcHELOE. You guess as to what your membership. would
think about that.