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a direct subsidy would be paid to all fanners on the first $7000 of farm production. The subsidy would represent the ’difference be* tv^een the price fanners actually receive and a still-to-^e-determined percentage of parity. In no case would the subsidy exceed $2000 to any one fanner.
Aims to Aid Small Farmers 5 Douglas said he isn’t necessarily committed to his fourth proposal, but is putting it forward for exploration. He said it is designed primarily to aid the small and average fanner.
“The big farmers say they favor a competitive marker," he added. “If that be the case, let tfiem have it. Let the price fall to the competitive level. Protect the average farmer with direct subsidies.”
Douglas said one reason he isn’t committing himself yet is he does not know bow much the plan will cost. He estimated it may take between $700 million and $2 billion a year to pay the subsidies, depending ;on the parity percentage fixed.
After quoting fropi Eisenhower speeches made in the 1952 campaign Douglas charged that one was tantamount to ''pledging the farmers a “guaranteed” 90 per cent of parity. He .said the index has since dropped 16 per cent and accused the Republicans of “not merely failing to carry out a pledge but actual violation of a pledge.”
Land Leasing Considered
The New York Herald-Tribune reported meanwhile that the Agriculture Department is considering a multi-anillion-dollar plan that calls for restricting farm output by leasing land from farmers.
' The newspaper said the idea was to strengthen weak farm prices by cutting back top-heavy food production and surpluses and thus “plug a major gap in the Eisenhower Administration’s farm program."
Douglas charged that the fact such a plan is being considered “shows the GOP program is not working out.”
Associated Press quoted an Agriculture Department spokesman . as saying “many plans” are always under consideration “but there has been no crystal ization of
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