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 proposi- 
tion 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 judg- 
ment. 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 invita- 
tion, 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 propo- 
sition ? 
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 them- 
selves for the advantage of some other group. That is the first