The undersigned believes that title 1 of H. R. 6240 either should be radically amended or stricken out. This is the title under which the effort is made to make owner-operators of family-sized farms out of "farm tenants, farm laborers, sharecroppers, and other individuals who obtain or who recently obtained the major portion of their income from farming operations." For this purpose the title authorizes (1) the lending to the beneficiary of the title the full value of the farm (2) at an interest rate of 3 percent per annum for a period up to 30 years. It authorizes the appropriation of $250,000,000 in the next 5 years.

We believe that such extreme measures are thoroughly justified if they are reasonably calculated to make a beginning in the successful dealing with the tremendous problem of the increase in farm tenancy in the United States, but we decidedly believe that these measures are not defensible unless they are calculated to make a successful start.

Title 1 of H. R. 6240 is lacking in two respects: (1) It contains no provision for the supervision of the beneficiaries of the act for a trial period, and (2) it permits the beneficiary of this tremendously generous treatment to alienate his farm at any time that the rise in price of land makes it desirable from a financial standpoint.

The beneficiaries of this title are going to come from two classes: (1) Those who never owned a farm and (2) those who, having owned a farm, have lost it. We submit that it is reasonable that both of these classes must have the aid of some kind of expert supervision if we are to expect that they are to succeed in paying for their purchases. The fact should not be lost sight of that the purpose of expending one-quarter billion dollars is to make owner-operators of farmers. Unless there is a time limit during which a beneficiary of the title cannot sell his farm, we are not making owner-operators, we are making land speculators.

The class we are dealing with have and are having a hard struggle. We cannot succeed in rehabilitating them by money assistance alone. They need protection as well. Title 1 of the bill, while providing for assistance, offers no protection.

The National Resources Board appointed an able committee which investigated the problem of farm tenancy and studied it, not only in this country but the history of it in foreign countries. Our recommendations are in line with their findings.

We shall offer amendments to title 1, which we are confident will accomplish the purposes much better than title 1 as it appears in H. R. 6240.

FRED BIERMANN.

This bill presents another attempt to restrict the operation of the Federal civil-service laws and regulations. Section 41 (a) (1) provides that the Secretary of Agriculture shall have power to appoint those who are to administer the act "without regard to the civilservice laws and regulations."

Since the present administration has been in power many laws have been enacted which were designed to meet certain emergencies that had arisen as a result of the depression. Many of these enactments provided for the creation of temporary agencies. In practically every instance such legislation has carried a provision to the effect that those employed to administer the act should not be subject to the civilservice laws and regulations. Practically every bill carrying such a provision was severely criticized by those who favor the merit system and the friends of the civil service, and when confronted with such criticism, responsible administration leaders attempted to justify the temporary abandonment of the civil-service system by stating that because of the emergency character of the legislation, the delay that might attend the assembling of administrative personnel under civil-service requirements would not be justified. Because of such representations on the part of the administration, together with the implication that this policy was to be temporary rather than permanent, most of the laws enacted during the Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Congresses which provided for the employment of additional personnel, carried a provision to the effect that such appointments should be made without regard to the civil-service laws and regulations.

No one can claim that any "emergency" now exists which would require that those appointed to administer this act should be outside of the civil service. Recent accusations against the party now in power to the effect that it is attempting to substitute the spoils system for the civil-service system have been persistently denied. We suggest that the most effective denial of such accusations would be the elimination of the provision of section 41 (a) (1) which provides that the Secretary shall appoint the necessary officers and employees "without regard to the civil-service laws and regulations."

We maintain that public opinion wants the civil-service system strengthened rather than weakened. Those who would destroy the civil service should sponsor general legislation to that effect, rather than attempt to destroy it through veiled attacks under one pretext or another as legislation is considered from time to time.

This bill affords an excellent opportunity to determine whether or not the present Congress is the friend or foe of the civil-service system. At the proper time we will offer and support an amendment

to the bill which will give the Members of the House an opportunity to express themselves on this issue. We believe that the policy of exempting officers and employees from the provisions of the civilservice laws and regulations should stop-now.

AUGUST H. ANDRESEN.
CLIFFORD R. HOPE.
J. ROLAND KINZER.
GERALD J. BOILEAU.
CHARLES W. TOBEY.
BERT LORD.

CLARE E. HOFFMAN.

INDEPENDENT OFFICES APPROPRIATION BILL, 1938

JUNE 18, 1937.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. WOODRUM, from the Committee of Conference, submitted the following

CONFERENCE REPORT

[To accompany H. R: 4064]

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate numbered 5, 7, and 8 to the bill (H. R. 4064) making appropriations for the Executive Office and sundry independent executive bureaus, boards, commissions, and offices, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, and for other purposes, having met, after full and free conference, have been unable to agree.

C. A. WOODRUM,
JED JOHNSON,

JAMES M. FITZPATRICK,
GEO. W. JOHNSON,

JOHN M. HOUSTON,

R. B. WIGGLESWORTH,

EVERETT M. DIRKSEN,

Managers on the part of the House.

CARTER GLASS,

JAMES F. BYRNES,

RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Jr.,

FREDERICK STEIWER,

ALVA B. ADAMS,

Managers on the part of the Senate.