576 AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
Mr. SEXAUER. You mean making the tariff effective?
The CuairmAN. I mean all protective laws.
Mr. SEXAUER. Speaking of that in lump sum, I would say that
agriculture absolutely has to have the same type of protection that
other industry has if it is going to exist under costs that are created
by that other legislation. It is absolutely essential; we can not exist
without it.
The CuatrMAN. Then if it were found that you were not getting
the benefit of these protective laws, you would be in favor of operating
50 as to get that benefit?
Mr. SEXAUER. Something would have to be done to give that
industry the same beneficial results.
The CrairMAN. As I understand it, you are getting the benefit
of these laws now, and you are satisfied?
Mr. SEXAUER. That is right.
The Cuairman. And if the others engaged in agricultural pursuits
are not getting those advantages you would be willing for them to
have that advantage?
Mr. SexavEeR. Right. There seems to have been a question,
Mr. Chairman, as to whether we wish or do not wish to pay our
share toward the maintenance of whatever legislation there may
be. It is my understanding—and if I am wrong I wish some one
would correct me—that this equalization fee or tax or whatever you
wish to call it is to be applied only on those commodities on which
the board is operating.
The CuAIRMAN. Yes; that is generally understood as it applies to
the equalization fee plan. I take it the question had reference to the
debenture plan and others where the losses would come out of the
Public Treasury.
Mr. SeExauer. And that, for instance, when they are operating on
wheat that there will be no equalization fee against corn or cotton;
that when they are operating on cotton alone there will be no equal-
ization fee on wheat or corn. So that I fail to see just where the criti-
cism arises of the dairy organization which says that at the present
time they do not believe it is necessary to operate on dairy products,
or that they should be criticized or blamed for or have it said about
them that they wish to put a burden on some one else and not assume
it themselves.
Mr. KincHELOE. You are here advocating this bill, are you not?
Mr. SExavuer. Right.
Mr. KiNcHELOE. You do not think it will be ever necessary to
declare an operating period on dairy products, according to what you
have said; and you further concede that the only fellow who will pay
the equalization fee will be the raisers of that commodity upon
which there has been an operating period declared?
Mr. SEXAUER. Yes.
Mr. KincHELOE. Getting back to your original statement, that
the reason you want that done is because you do not want those
people to quit their present vocations and produce certain commodi-
ties that come in competition with you?
Mr. SEXAUER. Yes.
Mr. KincHELOE. Oh, in other words, your position, in the last
analysis, is that “as long as we do not have to pay the equalization
fee and as long as we do not think it will ever be necessary for us to