1959 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-- HOUSE 14179 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS Wheat Referendum choice to make in the referendum. They use of inactive NavY ships and stored have only two alternatives: (a) The surplus foods for this purpose would, in EXTENSION OF REMARKS present program, which has proven so my opinion, be an extremely practical disastrous insofar as piling up surpluses approach to the problem of assisting the OF and excessively high costs are concerned needy peoples of the world. I am in full HON. CHARLES B. HOEVEN and the likelihood of a continued piling agreement with the quoted comment of OF IOWA up of even greater surpluses, or (b) they my Oklahoma colleague, Congressman IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES can vote for no program since the law En EDMONDSON, that this "makes a lot requires price supports at 50 percent of more sense than some parts of our for­ Thursday, July 23, 1959 parity if there are no marketing quotas. eign aid program." Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. Speaker, today an Farmers still would have to comply with I intend to do my full share in help­ editorial entitled "Wheat Inflation" ap­ allotments. This, of course, is not a fair ing to make the new White Fleet a peared in the Washington Post and or realistic choice to place before the reality. Times Herald. This editorial deserves wheat farmers. Charles Shuman, presi­ the attention of every person in this great dent of the American Farm Bureau Fed­ body. The editorial follows: eration calls it "an absurd farce that The Recent U.S.A.-U.S.S.R Dual Track The country witnesses today another wheat denies producers any realistic choice." and Field Meet at Philadelphia, Pa., referendum in which farmers will choose The wheat farmers should not be between disaster by route No. 1 and disaster blamed for the situation they now find Sponsored by the Philadelphia Inquirer by route No. 2. If they choose to continue themselves in. They are not responsible Charities, Inc:., in Cooperation With the the present program, which they are ex­ for the outmoded and unrealistic laws pected to c!o, the result is likely to be fur­ that are on the books and which have to Amateur Athletic: Union of the United ther excess production. The country already be administered. Their response to leg­ States Is a Splendid Example of the has nearly a 2-year supply of wheat on hand, and taxpayers have nearly $3.5 b1llion tied up islation is only what should be expected. Unceasing Efforts Being Made To Pro­ The farmer is not responsible for the in stored wheat. mote International Good Will Through If farmers should vote against continua­ inaction of the Congress to provide a tion of the existing program, the national workable wheat program. A better pro­ Athletic: Events average support price would drop from $1.77 gram should have been adopted before to $1.18 a bushel-a very drastic reduction. this-before the wheat referendum was They would be relieved of penalt ies for plant­ EXTENSION OF REMARKS held. We should give attention to ob­ OF ing in excess of their quotas but would still taining a workable and acceptable pro­ have to keep within quota limits to obtain the lowered price-support loans. The choice gram. There has been ample oppor­ HON. JAMES E. VAN ZANDT is thus a dismal one. tunity before this. The President OF PENNSYLVANIA Three factors in the pre·sent law have con­ months ago recommended alternative IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tributed to its unfortunate consequences: approaches to the wheat problem. Other It forbids the Secretary of Agriculture _to cut approaches have been submitted this Thursday, July 23, 1959 the total acreage allotments below 55 million session, which, if adopted, would have Mr. VANZANDT. Mr. Speaker, the acres; it allows every farmer to grow up to given the wheat producer a sound, work­ U.S.A.-U.S.S.R. track and field meet held 15 acres of wheat without penalty; and it able program to replace the very un­ at Philadelphia on July 18 and July 19, will not let price supports be fixed at less satisfactory one now operating. The than 75 percent of parity. The result has 1959, and sponsored by the Phila­ been to put a premium on overproduction at Congress should not turn away from try­ delphia Inquirer Charities, Inc., in co­ heavy cost to the taxpayers. ing to get constructive legislation on operation with the Amateur Athletic President Eisenhower again voiced hope wheat this session. The wheat farmer Union of the United States is another at his news conference yesterday that Con­ should not be let down by no remedial fine example of the AAU's people-to­ gress will pass legislation to relieve this most legislation. It is not too late for action. people program in action. critical of the numerous farm problems. For more than 40 years the Amateur This hope must be shared by a vast majority Athletic Union of the United States, of the wheat farmers and by an even larger which is the national governing body of percentage of the taxpayers who must pay New White Fleet Is Sound Idea 19 sports in the United States, in carry­ the bill for the current folly. ing out its people-to-people program has Today is decision day for farmers grow­ EXTENSION OF REMARKS sent many thousands of track athletes, ing wheat. Today there is being held OF swimmers, boxers, wrestlers, weight­ the marketing quota referendum for the lifters, basketball, and other teams to 1960 crop of wheat. HON. DENVER D. HARGIS all parts of the world. At the same time Many Members of this body probably OF KANSAS the AAU has brought hundreds of foreign are unaware that today is voting day for IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES athletes to the United States for athletic the wheat program. Probably few here contests such as the U.S.A.-U.S.S.R. realize that most wheat farmers are pro­ Thursday, July 23, 1959 track and field meet last week in Phila­ hibited by existing law from expressing Mr. HARGIS. Mr. Speaker, I was very delphia. their opinions at the polls on what kind favorably impressed by Comdr. Frank It is of interest to state that in the of a program they want. Manson's proposal for a new White Fleet, program to encourage international re­ Today 40 percent of the wheat farm­ as outlined in the July 27 issue of Life lations and proinote peace and good will ers-the bigger ones-can vote in a ref­ magazine, and I am happy to endorse among the nations of the world, the erendum to decide whether there shall and support such a potentially worth­ AAU in 1958 sent more than 300 athletes be wheat marketing quotas for the 1960 while venture. Life's graphic and dra­ to over 30 different countries, several of crop. But 60 percent of the farmers matic presentation of the idea should which are behind the Iron Curtain. growing wheat-those who do not have capture the imagination of a great many At the recent U.S.A.-U.S.S.R. track allotments of more than 15 acres-are readers, and thus assure widespread meet in Philadelphia President Eisen­ ineligible under existing law to vote. popular approval. hower in a message extending his warm This is the only agricultural crop that Certainly the relatively low expendi­ greetings sounded the keynote of the in­ discriminates against the small producer. ture required for preparing and oper­ ternational contest between United This is made mandatory by the law. It ating such a fleet should be a sound States and Russian athletes. The mes­ discriminates against the small family investment, not only from the stand­ sage which was printed in the official farm. This is regrettable. point of invaluable services rendered to souvenir program is as follows: Under present legislation wheat farm­ people in distress, but as a means of Last summer I followed with interest the ers really do not have a very realistic boosting American prestige abroad. The competition between the track and field 14180 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE July 23 teams of the Union of Soviet Socialist Re­ article titled "Thank You, Philadel­ To Philadelphia for its generous hospital­ publics and of the United States at Lenin phia," which appeared in the July 21, ity, I wish to extend my personal thanks. Stadium in Moscow. As these teams meet 1959, issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer: To all those who made our vsiitors' stay here for their return match at Franklin Field in pleasant and agreeable, including particularly Philadelphia this July, it is a pleasure to send THANK You, PHILADELPHIA officials of the AAU and the University of greetings to each contestant. As host city for the United States-Russian Pennsylvania; the management and staffs of A common interest in the field of sports track and field meet sponsored by the Ama­ the Warwick, Sheraton, and Barclay Hotels; helps form a bond of understanding among teur Athletic Union of the United States and and my associates in Triangle Publications, athletes throughout the world. Meetings of the Philadelphia Inquirer Chal"ities, Inc., Inc.: "Thank you." this sort provide an opportunity for strength­ Philadelphia has displayed again its tradi­ WALTER H. ANNENBERG, ening that bond through travel, observation tional warm hospitality. Editor and Publisher, the Philadelphia and the hospitality of host nations. As this The thousands who crowded Franklin Field Inquirer. understanding among individual citizens is on Saturday and Sunday naturally had the increased, we can hopefully assume that Americans as their sentimental favorites, but Mr.