B82 
AGRICULTURAL RELIEF 
n making successful, as much as it can be made successful, whatever 
farm relief bill passes Congress. 
Mr. Fort. No; I said in drafting. You did not get my question. 
Mr. Gray. Maybe I did not understand your question. 
Mr. Fort. I asked you whether we would have your cooperation 
in drafting legislation if that legislation does not include an equaliza- 
tion fee. 
Mr. Gray. No; I have no authority to help draft a bill which is 
not in accord with our policy. 
Mr. Fort. Then if that be true, if the committee is not in favor of a 
bill with an equalization fee in it, you do not intend to assist the 
committee in drafting any other bill? 
Mr. Gray. No. 
Mr. Fonmer., Mr. Chairman, may I add right there, following Mr. 
Fort’s question up a little, if it is a matter that this committee pro- 
poses to take the dictates of the President instead of functioning for 
the people of the United States, it is useless to continue further the 
hearings. We might as well adjourn and ask the President what we 
should do, and submit it to the Congress. 
Mr. Kercaam. Don’t you think it is just as fair for these gentle- 
men to state what they want before the committee as it is for the 
members of the committee who have said, “I am not going to vote 
for any bill that has an equalization fee in it’? 
Mr. FuLMER. In the meantime this committee has taken up a lot 
of time trying to pursuade this witness not to go up against the 
President. As a matter of fact, these folks were invited here and 
have been given this time to speak on this bill, and then when we go 
into executive session it is the responsibility of each Member to vote 
for or against a bill carrying the equalization, or one leaving it out. 
So far as I am concerned, I am willing to take the responsibility and 
represent the American people, instead of taking the dictation of one 
man as to what shall be the legislation that we should pass in the 
interest of agriculture. 
Mr. Jones. I think Mr. Gray has made the position of the Farm 
Bureau very clear. 
Mr. AsweLL. Has any member of this com 1ittee asked that you 
defend him about his duties? 
Mr. Gray. Several members, Congressman Aswell, have asked 
questions which, if they were answered in the way those questions 
were desired to be answered, would have put the farm groups in the 
position of defending the members of this committee in this regard; 
that this committee must face its responsibility. If it reports out a 
farm relief bill which the farm groups do not desire, it can not expect 
those of us who represent the farm groups to come here and say that 
such a report will be agreed to by us. I am not going to call out 
names of the committee members who have asked those questions, 
but the record will show who have asked the questions seeking to 
zet a negative as well as a positive answer; that is, to make the 
farmers responsible for both kinds of farm relief bills. I do not 
think they are going to get a negative answer, because that kind of 
an answer would put the farm groups in the position of defending 
the members of this committee, if there be such, who desire to report 
out a bill heartless. with no meat in it.