79TH CONGRESS 1st Session

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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REPORT No. 188

PROVIDING FOR THE ADEQUATE PRODUCTION OF SEED OF LEGUMES REQUIRED IN THE WAR FOOD-PRODUCTION PROGRAM

FEBRUARY 20, 1945.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. FLANNAGAN, from the Committee on Agriculture, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 2175]

The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2175) to provide for the adequate production of seed of legumes required in the war food-production program, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

STATEMENT

Last year the Congress, under the item "Conservation and use of agricultural land resources" in the Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act, 1945, appropriated "$12,500,000 for making additional payments on an acreage and pound basis for harvesting seeds of grasses and legumes determined by the War Food Administrator to be necessary for an adequate supply of such seeds". The Congress took that action because it was satisfied that without such additional payments the farmers of the Nation would be unable to produce the necessary seeds needed in the war emergency.

The 1944 seed program, which was a part of the agricultural-conservation program administered by the Agricultural Adjustment Agency, proved very effective. Reports of the Crop Reporting Board of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics show that the 1944 production of the six principal legume and grass seeds, namely, alfalfa, red clover, alsike clover, sweetclover, lespedeza, and timothy, totaled approximately 550.8 million pounds of the thresher-run seed, which was 31 percent larger than the 1943 production and 38 percent larger than the 10-year (1933-42) average.

The following table indicates that some increase in the acreage harvested for seed took place in 1943, stimulated by the limited acreage payment in the agricultural-conservation program and the seedloan program. As a result of the 1944 special-payment program, however, the results were much more substantial, with red clover showing the most significant increase in the acreage harvested for seed.

As shown in the above table, the acreage increase in alfalfa for seed was only 25 percent, but unfavorable weather reduced the acreage for seed in some of the important midwestern areas so that the full response to the program is not reflected by statistics. The program was announced too late to have much effect on the harvested acreage of alsike clover seed. Timothy seed was not included in the 1944 program, but the data are included in the above table for comparative purposes.

The following table shows the pounds of clean seed produced:

Seed produced is, in large measure, dependent upon weather conditions and this explains why alfalfa seed production in 1944 was less than in 1943, although the acreage was 25 percent greater. With more favorable weather conditions, production of alfalfa seed probably would have equaled the 1940 crop. Lespedeza seed production was a record crop both because of the large acreage harvested and the high level of yield. This makes for reasonably plentiful supplies of seed for the southern half of the country but seed supplies continue short for the northern alfalfa and clover areas.

The following table shows, with respect to alfalfa, red clover, and alsike, the carry-over as of June 30 in each year, beginning with 1940, plus the production for such year.

As already indicated, unfavorable weather accounts for the low yield of alfalfa in 1944 and the fact that the payment program was announced too late to substantially affect alsike, plus unfavorable weather conditions, accounts for the low acreage and production of alsike. It should be noted that supplies of each of these seeds in 1944 were very much less than supplies in 1940.

The following table shows the production of alfalfa, red clover, and alsike clover since 1937 and the production goals for 1945 as established by the War Food Administration. These goals include estimated domestic requirements for 1946, minimum exports to our allies, and necessary carry-overs. It should be noted that the required production for 1945 is substantially greater than the 1944 production. In fact, with respect to alsike clover, it is double the 1944 production.

Even with the larger production of seed last year, farmers are still unable to get as much alfalfa and clover seed as they need. Adequate hay and pasture seeds are necessary to maintain good pastures and forage for livestock and to assure the proper rotation so necessary in maintaining yields of other crops. Special attention must be given to seed production because it may be overlooked in the rush to get food and war materials. Seed production is more or less incidental on most farms and, therefore, when other crops are high priced, seeds are not always harvested. Our present acreage of alfalfa and clover can produce a much larger quantity of seeds if farmers are given adequate encouragement to harvest the seed.

After carefully considering the results of the 1944 special seed program and the testimony of representatives of the Agricultural Adjustment Agency, farm organizations, and seed distributors, all of whom recommended the enactment of H. R. 2175, as to the future seed requirements, the committee is of the opinion that the special seed program should be continued in 1945 for alfalfa, alsike clover, medium red clover, and mammoth red clover, in addition to the seed-harvesting payments provided for in the regular 1945 agricultural conservation program. The special payments under the 1944 program were also in

addition to seed-harvesting payments under the regular agricultural conservation program.

Accordingly, H. R. 2175, to be known as the War Emergency Legume Seed Act, would authorize and direct the War Food Administrator to make payments through the Agricultural Adjustment Agency to producers of alfalfa, alsike clover, medium red clover, and mammoth red clover, in addition to the seed harvesting payments provided for under the 1945 agricultural conservation program. Such payments would be made on an acreage basis for the harvesting of such seed and on a clean-seed basis for such seed sold into commercial channels and would be made subject to the applicable provisions of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, as amended. It is contemplated that a small payment would be made for each acre of such seed harvested, which would compensate the farmer in some degree for the risk involved in foregoing a crop of hay to take a chance on obtaining a crop of seed. This acreage payment, together with a payment for each pound of harvested seed which is moved into channels of distribution, would help to make returns from seed production comparable with returns from other crops.

The bill would authorize the War Food Administrator to promulgate such rules and regulations as he deemed necessary to administer the act and would also authorize him to cooperate with agencies of the Federal and State governments and with domestic producing, trading or consuming organizations in encouraging and securing the production and distribution of the four kinds of seed to which the bill relates. Section 6 of the bill would authorize the appropriation of not to exceed $15,000,000 to carry out the provisions of the bill. Section 6 provides further that any sums appropriated pursuant to that section shall be merged with the funds appropriated for carrying into effect the provisions of sections 7 to 17, inclusive, of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, as amended.

REPATRIATING NATIVE-BORN WOMEN RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 21, 1945.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. ALLEN of Louisiana, from the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 384]

The Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 384) to repatriate native-born women residents of the United States who have heretofore lost their citizenship by marriage to an alien, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of the bill is to provide a means not now afforded by law of repatriating native-born women residents who lost their citizenship by marriage to an alien and who have continued to reside continuously in the United States since the date of such marriage.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Prior to the act of September 22, 1922, an American-citizen woman lost her citizenship by virtue of marriage to an alien. By the terms of the act of June 25, 1936, it was provided that a woman, being a native-born citizen, who lost her United States citizenship solely by marriage prior to September 22, 1922, to an alien, and whose marital status with such alien is terminated, shall be deemed to be a citizen of the United States to the same extent as though her marriage to said alien had taken place on or after September 22, 1922. That act did provide, however, that such a woman could not claim any rights of citizenship until she should take the regular oath of allegiance prescribed by the Naturalization Act of June 29, 1906. Under date of July 2, 1940, that act was amended so as to include the privilege of repatriation to women who continuously resided in the United States since the date of their marriage prior to September 22, 1922, such