United States, or to any member who is receiving compensation from any State or local government.

(c) Each member of the Commission shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of duties vested in the Commission.

(d) The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of such employees as it deems advisable without regard to the provisions of the civil-service laws or the Classification Act of 1949, as amended.

(e) The Commission may procure, without regard to the civil-service laws or the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946, as amended (5 U. S. C. 55a), but at rates not to exceed $50 per diem for individuals.

(f) The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of a Director, without regard to the civil service laws or the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, who shall perform such duties as the Commission shall prescribe. The compensation paid to such Director under the provisions of this subsection shall not exceed the rate of $16,000 per annum.

HEADQUARTERS

SEC. 6. The Commission may establish and maintain its headquarters at whatever place within the United States that is determined by the Commission.

TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION

SEC. 7. Six months after the transmittal to the Congress of the final report provided for in section 3 (b) of this Act, the Commission shall cease to exist.

[H. R. 12239, 85th Cong., 2d sess.]

A BILL To establish a Commission on Country Life, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

DECLARATION OF PURPOSE

SECTION 1. Because (1) economic and social changes are profoundly affecting all phases of human life and endeavor in country communities; (2) there is currently a need for greater awareness on the part of all people, their organizations, and their leadership concerning the interrelatedness of rural and urban forces shaping the new country community; (3) rural organizations and leadership are in the need of a critical and thoughtful appraisal of the forces shaping the new country community; (4) in a time of great social and economic adjustment spokesmen for country people must be encouraged to safeguard the opportunity for full development of individual and local community initiative; and (5) there is a need for an approach to the changing country scene which will provide the Nation with a body of objective facts, thoughtful appraisal, and a value base to help its people make wise decisions in the area of country living, it is therefore determined to be necessary to establish a commission to develop this approach, advise and recommend with regard to problems, needs, probable courses of action or other appropriate means which will help the Nation to act wisely in this time of unprecedented change in country community living.

COMMISSION ON COUNTRY LIFE

SEC. 2. (a) For the purpose of carrying out this Act there is hereby established a commission to be known as the Commission on Country Life (hereafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission").

(b) The Commission shall be composed of twenty-five members, as follows: (1) Fifteen members, of whom not more than nine shall be members of the same political party, appointed by the President of the United States, from among whom the President shall designate the Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Commission;

(2) Five members appointed by the President of the Senate, three from the majority party, and two from the minority party; and

(3) Five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three from the majority party, and two from the minority party.

(c) Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

(d) Thirteen members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may conduct hearings.

(e) Service of an individual as a member of the Commission or employment of an individual by the Commission as an attorney or expert in any field, on a part-time or full-time basis, with or without compensation, shall not be considered as service or employment bringing such individual within the provisions of section 281, 283, 284, 434, or 1914 of title 18 of the United States Code, or section 190 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (5 U. S. C. 99).

DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION

SEC. 3. (a) The Commission shall carry out the purposes of section 1 of this Act and in doing so shall

(1) assemble the facts necessary to give a comprehensive picture with respect to the major trends affecting country community living;

(2) identify major gaps between the problems of country residents and the organized means to handle their problems:

(3) demonstrate the interrelatedness of the functions of, and the need for cooperation between, the various institutions, agencies, and organizations serving country people;

(4) evaluate the impact of technological developments on living and ways of making a living in the country community;

(5) assess the impact of the changing composition of the country community population on social and economic goals and values; and

(6) develop a set of principles and guides to serve as a basis for approaches to improve country living in the years ahead.

(b) The Commission, not later than two years after the date on which the twenty-fifth member of the Commission is appointed, shall submit to the President and to the Congress its final report, including recommendations for legislative action; and the Commission shall also from time to time make other reports on the activities and studies of the Commission. Copies of reports of the Commission shall be distributed free to interested persons.

HEARINGS; OBTAINING INFORMATION

SEC. 4. (a) The Commission or, on the authorization of the Commission, any subcommittee or member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, administer such oaths, and require, by subpena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Commission or such subcommittee or member may deem advisable. Subpenas may be issued under the signature of the Chairman of the Commission, of such subcommittee, or any duly designated member, and may be served by any person designated by such Chairman or member. The provisions of sections 102, 103, and 104 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U. S. C. 192, 193, 194) shall apply in the case of any failure of any witness to comply with any subpena or to testify when summoned under authority of this section.

(b) The Commission is authorized to secure from any department, agency, or independent instrumentality of the Federal Government any information it deems necessary to carry out its functions under this Act; and each such department, agency, or instrumentality is authorized and directed to furnish such information to the Commission, upon request made by the Chairman or by the Vice Chairman when acting as Chairman.

APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENSES, AND PERSONNEL

SEC. 5 (a). There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

(b) Each member of the Commission shall receive $50 per diem when engaged in the performance of duties vested in the Commission, except that no compensation shall be paid by the United States, by reason of service as a member of such Commission, to any such member who is receiving other compensation

from the United States, or to any member who is receiving compensation from any State or local government.

(c) Each member of the Commission shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of duties vested in the Commission.

(d) The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of such employees as it deems advisable without regard to the provisions of the civil-service laws or the Classification Act of 1949, as amended.

(e) The Commission may procure, without regard to the civil-service laws or the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946, as amended (5 U. S. C. 55a), but at rates not to exceed $50 per diem for individuals.

(f) The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of a Director, without regard to the civil-service laws or the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, who shall perform such duties as the Commission shall prescribe. The compensation paid to such Director under the provisions of this subsection shall not exceed the rate of $16,000 per annum.

HEADQUARTERS

SEC. 6. The Commission may establish and maintain its headquarters at whatever place within the United States that is determined by the Commission.

TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION

SEC. 7. Six months after the transmittal to the Congress of the final report provided for in section 3 (b) of this Act, the Commission shall cease to exist.

JUNE 24, 1958.

Hon. HAROLD D. COOLEY,

Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,

House of Representatives.

DEAR CONGRESSMAN COOLEY: This is in reply to your request of May 14, 1958, for a report on H. R. 11844, a bill to establish a Commission on Country Life to provide a body of objective facts and to advise and recommend with regard to problems, needs, and courses of action including a set of principles and guides to serve as a basis for approaches to improved country living.

This Department favors the objectives of the bill.

There is much to be accomplished by way of drawing together, from many sources, facts and trends about problems and opportunities for rural life and making these available to the public. Much of the needed work is in a field where active exploration and demonstration is underway as part of the rural develop ment program. Some related work has also been instigated by congressional committees such as the Family Farms Subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture and the Subcommittee on Agricultural Policy of the Joint Economic Committee.

Regarding a companion bill, S. 3596, the Bureau of the Budget advises as fol

lows:

"You are advised that while there would be no objection to the presentation to the committee of such report as you may deem appropriate, the Bureau of the Badger does not see any clear need for creation of a Commission on Country Life at this time. The duties of the Commission already appear to be vested in the Department of Agriculture. As your proposed report indicates much of this werk is already underway in the Department's rural development program.

- 336 as introduced also lodges certain questionable processes in the Co mission. Despite the apparent intent of the bill the Commission desuse of the eun position of its membership, must be ensidered a legislative rather than a presidential or executive entity. The subpena powers granted Cott D ders in section 4 (a appear far in excess of its needs in gathering facts recant ing major trends affecting eccntry ecmimity living and developing petboiples and guides for improved eventry living in the years ahead. Finally, section 4 Di directs executive agencies to fish any informati a deemed necessary by the Commission to carry out its faneti/cs. As a general male legislation strald $2 thorize agencies to cooperate with such Commission and to the extent permitted

by law, to furnish such information upon request. Any unqualified conferral of authority upon a commission to make demands for documents, and the mandatory requirement that an executive agency comply, would be undesirable."

Sincerely yours,

E. T. BENSON, Secretary.

Mr. THOMPSON. It gives me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to find a champion of our thinking in an old friend, a man for whom I have the highest regard, the Honorable Brooks Hays of Arkansas. I do not know any man in Congress, I do not know any man in the country, who has demonstrated and proven a greater interest in humanity. Certainly, his patriotism has been an inspiration to all of us who have known him. And Mr. Hays, to find you here fighting beside us and with us for, perhaps, the family farmer, I believe is a great inspiration to us and, I believe, it is to the entire committee.

So now I take pleasure in introducing the author of the bill, H. R. 11844, Mr. Hays of Arkansas.

STATEMENT OF HON. BROOKS HAYS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS OF THE FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS

Mr. HAYS. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, this is a favorite subject of mine. I might have to fight the temptation not to make a speech.

I am deeply grateful for the friendly words that the chairman has uttered with reference to me and I thank him for his kind remarks. I was very happy when Mr. Cooley told me that he was referring the bill to this subcommittee. I knew of its work. I had read portions of the family-farm report of this committee, issued in 1956, and nothing could have pleased me more with reference to this legislation than to have it come before this subcommittee that has taken such a tremendous interest in one of the basic problems of our country.

Mr. Chairman, I have on my right and left two distinguished Members of the United States Senate who have introduced companion bills. And it is a great pleasure for me to welcome them to our side of the Capitol. And, since they are scheduled to speak following me, I know that the committee will be pleased to have their views on this fundamental problem.

I think that it would not be regarded as inappropriate to refer to the fact that they are not of my political faith and that makes it all the more attractive from the standpoint of bipartisanship and exalted neutrality on the political front. I think it is unfortunate that I am outnumbered—I find myself in the minority and I am outvoted by them, but again I think we want that to symbolize the idea of patriotism and of devotion to a common cause.

Mr. THOMPSON. I am outnumbered, too.

Mr. HAYS. The chairman will sympathize with me in this situation. I think that the committee might be interested in a little incident that took place over in northern Ohio, which is Republican countrythis particular part of northern Ohio-and it was Methodist country. Well, being a Baptist and a Democrat, I felt a little ill at ease over there; but I picked up a story that seems to me relevant in this situa

The old gentleman was praying in prayer meeting.

O Lord, we thank Thee for our country; for its greatness and its wealth and its beauty and for the great men of the past who have made it what it is; for the great heroes of our land, men like Lincoln and Grant and McKinley and Roosevelt-Theodore, that is.

[Laughter.]

Mr. HAYS. And this reference to Theodore Roosevelt is in order because the suggestion that a commission be appointed was occasioned by the fact that this is the 50th anniversary of the appointment of Theodore Roosevelt's Country Life Commission. And the committee is quite familiar with the notable results of this study, a study that produced and stimulated interest in the establishment of the Rural Free Delivery, creation of the Extension Service, and other things which received great impetus from the study of that historic Commission.

An editorial in the Farm Journal, published by Mr. Wheeler McMillan, came to my desk and it suggested that the time had come in this 50th year to have a second Commission on the study of rural life because since that event many, many things have happened and the impact of industrial change, of economic change, has been felt by the farmers of America in every part of the country. Some phases of this change are tragic in terms of human maladjustment.

I have no answer this morning for the committee as to what should be done. It is not our purpose, I presume, to go into specific answers that the Commission might produce or to anticipate what they might say about these changes.

The important thing is that we establish procedures by which good answers can be found, sound answers discovered. And so that is the only idea that I would press for consideration. The essential thing now is to set up an inquiry that will produce for this committee's benefit the information that they need and that the Congress needs to provide legislative answers to fundamental problems and that is already in the bill.

It establishes, I believe, sound procedures for producing something that should be a milestone in our Nation's life, just as the first Commission was.

You are familiar with some of those things that took place. Not only men in the Government, men in the Congress became sensitive to the needs of the farmers of that period and the farmers' family, for there were human problems involved as well as economic problems-the children of the farmers.

You are familiar with the fact that not only men in Government but men outside of the Government, the students of social movements, the students of economics, such men as Seeman Knapp, Walter Hines Page, devoted themselves in tremendous ways to discovering the answers to some of these problems.

The world has tended to go off and leave the little farmer. He has been left on a hillside, suffering the ravages of erosion, but we provided some procedures that arrest that. We have not provided the answers that give him hope for the establishment of that family in the total life of the Nation and of the community.

I know something about that problem. I could never speak as an expert on farm subjects, for I was born in town and have never known