Unexpected Compromise

Two hours before the voting began, Republican leaders in the House would not have given a wet wheat beard for the Benson farm program's chances. Indiana's Charlie Halleck, who has been the Administration's strong right arm in the House, conceded to friends that he was licked. Then the House noisily pulled the biggest surprise of the 83rd Congress by voting down a continuation of rigid 90% of parity price supports on the basic crops. It approved, instead, a system of flexible supports pegged on 82 1/2 to 90% of parity. This was a compromise, but a compromise almost no one expected.

Last week's vote on the farm bill was probably the Administration's biggest victory in this session of Congress. Politically more important than the basic victory was the fact that the Republicans had lined up impressively behind the Administration. In the pre-vote surveys, Republicans were expected to vote two or three to one in favor of the Administration. They astounded everyone by standing behind Ike's farm program eight to one. Said a G.O.P. leader: "The same thing that made us support his program today is going to re-elect Republicans in November:, the voters' feeling that Eisenhower's program deserves a fair chance and real support."

In the Senate, where Agriculture Committee Chairman George Aiken had been predicting "a bare majority" for the Benson program, the House vote changed the odds. Said Vermont's Aiken: "We'll get an adequate majority."

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