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B-121118, APR. 20, 1956

B-121118 Apr 20, 1956
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- WHICH TRAVEL WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR LETTER OF MARCH 22. THE LETTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY STATES: "THE INFORMATION OF RECORD AT THE TIME THE MATTER WAS (ORIGINALLY) SUBMITTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WAS SUCH AS TO CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL DOUBT THAT THE ENTIRE TRAVEL PERFORMED BY MR. MAYS FURTHER DISCUSSED THE NECESSITY FOR TRAVEL TO HIS HOME AREA WITH DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS AND SUBMITTED SEVERAL AFFIDAVITS OF INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS RELATIVE TO A PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM UNDER WHICH ASSISTANCE WAS TO BE LIMITED TO APPROVED PRACTICES MOST NEEDED ON INDIVIDUAL FARMS. MAYS WAS ENCOUNTERED TO THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AND IT WAS A MATTER OF GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT FAILURE TO GET ACCEPTANCE OF THE CHANGED PROGRAM IN HIS STATE WOULD ENDANGER ITS ACCEPTANCE IN OTHER STATES.

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B-121118, APR. 20, 1956

TO THE HONORABLE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE:

BY A LETTER OF FEBRUARY 10, 1956, MR. RALPH S. ROBERTS, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ADVISED US THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS FURTHER CONSIDERED, IN THE LIGHT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THE TRAVEL PERFORMED BY MR. CHARLEY MAYS TO HIS HOMETOWN, GREENVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND NEARBY CITIES, WHILE SERVING AS DIRECTOR OF THE AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM--- WHICH TRAVEL WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR LETTER OF MARCH 22, 1955, B-121118, TO YOU.

THE LETTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SECRETARY STATES:

"THE INFORMATION OF RECORD AT THE TIME THE MATTER WAS (ORIGINALLY) SUBMITTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WAS SUCH AS TO CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL DOUBT THAT THE ENTIRE TRAVEL PERFORMED BY MR. MAYS TO HIS HOME AREA COULD FAIRLY AND REASONABLY BE DETERMINED AS ESSENTIALLY FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND YOUR OFFICE CONCLUDED THAT NO OBJECTION WOULD BE INTERPOSED TO ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEBT CHARGE UNDER THE THEN PROPOSED TABULATION UPON SUCH BASIS. IN RESPONSE TO A DEMAND MADE FOR PAYMENT, MR. MAYS FURTHER DISCUSSED THE NECESSITY FOR TRAVEL TO HIS HOME AREA WITH DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS AND SUBMITTED SEVERAL AFFIDAVITS OF INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS RELATIVE TO A PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM UNDER WHICH ASSISTANCE WAS TO BE LIMITED TO APPROVED PRACTICES MOST NEEDED ON INDIVIDUAL FARMS, RATHER THAN ALLOWING ASSISTANCE FOR ANY APPROVED PRACTICE PERMITTED UNDER THE PROGRAM. SUCH AFFIDAVITS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FURTHER ESTABLISHED THAT UNUSUAL OPPOSITION IN THE HOME STATE OF MR. MAYS WAS ENCOUNTERED TO THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AND IT WAS A MATTER OF GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT FAILURE TO GET ACCEPTANCE OF THE CHANGED PROGRAM IN HIS STATE WOULD ENDANGER ITS ACCEPTANCE IN OTHER STATES.

"REEXAMINATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH TRAVEL OF MR. MAYS WAS PERFORMED HAS BEEN MADE BY RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS AND IN VIEW OF THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE PURPOSE OF SUCH TRAVEL WAS ESSENTIAL FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND THAT, ACCORDINGLY, MR. MAYS SHOULD BE RELIEVED OF THE CHARGES AS PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED EXCEPTING AS ADJUSTMENTS FOR OTHER LEAVE OR OTHER OVERPAYMENTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED. THE DEPARTMENT HAS NOW MADE THE COLLECTIONS FOR THE INDICATED ADJUSTMENTS, AND IT IS PROPOSED TO TREAT THIS MATTER AS CLOSED.'

IN VIEW OF THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATION, PREDICATED UPON ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WE INTERPOSE NO OBJECTION TO TREATING THE MATTER AS CLOSED.

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