AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 10

AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE NEW BILL BEING FRAMED (Received February 23, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 The Government's substitute for the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which was declared to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, was enacted by the House of Representatives to-day by 267 votes to 97. A similar law, with a few minor differences, had been already passed by the Senate. It is hoped that the two versions will be adjusted soon and that the new agricultural programme will become law. The measure passed to-day is unofficially called "the 500,000,000 dollars Soil Conservation Bill," for it allocates that amount to the Secretary of Agriculture', who m turn is authorised to pay to producers varied amounts to -withdraw acreage from cultivation in the interests of soil conservation, and the prevention of erosion. Opponents. of the legislation during to-day's debate contended that it was a thinly-veiled scheme to re-effect the Agricultural Adjustment Act, for although bounties were ostensibly paid to rehabilitate the nation's productive soil, claims for payments would be made to' keep farm commodity prices high by curtailing the acreage planted. As a matter of fact the bill specifically directs the Agricultural Department to restore farm incomes to prewar parity with other economic endeavours. Whereas the former Act levied taxes against processors to cover the payments to farmers, the funds under the new law will come from the Treasury.