The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-07-16
PLAN TO DICKER
With |. ". ". IS
DROPPED BY N. P.
Townley Announces Aban-
donment of Attempt
to Fix Wages
FARMERS FAILED
TO GIVE APPROVAL
Must Stand United, Says
Leader, Scoring Farm
ers' Enemies"

The Nonpartisan league of North
Dakota has given up its proposal to
make an agreement with the Indus
trial Workers OF the World with
respect to hours of work, wages, etc
Announcement of that fact is made
by President A. c. Townley in one
Of the leagues official organs. and
he ascribes. as a reason. the objection
made by the farmers Of the Barnes
county and the Ramsey county dis
trict.
In the series of four meetings held
last week, in MinOt, Valley City.
Bismarck and Devils Lake, the pro-
posal was favored in two instances,
and in the other two it was voted
down.
Reports vary as to just what
transpired at the Devils Lake meet
ing Saturday. Like other sessions
previously held, it was behind closed
doors. Not more than 40 members
attended the meeting, according to
one version, and the vote was II to
II against ratification. A second
vote, according to this version, re-
turned a majority Of one for the
plan.
The report that the official paper
of the league prints doesn't carry
the number voting. except it says
there was a majority Of five against
the proposition. The leagues report
says the second ballot was evenly
divided
No Faith In |. w. w.
General objection raised in the
series of meetings. it is understood,
was based on the theory that the
Nonpartisan league would not be
able to force the |. w. w. to carry
out the agreement.
President TOwnley, in a statement
announcing the abandonment of the
plan, takes occasion to score the
Opposition press" and enemies of
the league" These enemies of the
farmer proved they are more anxious
to see the farmers and farm labor
ers fight each other than to see them
at peace, said Mr.. Townley.
81 know many farmers are going
to be disappointed at our having to
give up the plan that promised to
prevent the disputes and disorders
that have occurred for years during
the harvest. But l hope these farm
ers will take a broad minded view,
realizing that other members Of the
league honestly believe the agree
ment would not be advisable at this
time, and that the league cannot af-
which its members are not united,
said the league head.
Terms of Agreement.
While it has been generally under
stood that a 81 day was the basis
proposition in the tentative agree
ment that had been drawn up by the
Nonpartisan league committee and
the I. w. w, the exact details of the
wage proposal were not known. They
are announced as follows
For harvest the wage shall be 81
a day for a ten hour day; overtime,
40 cents an hour; for threshing,
minimum wage 81 for ten-hour day.
Should wheat sell at $1.75 a BUSH
ell, wages to be $3.50 a day; should
wheat sell at 81 a bushel, wages to
be S. a day; should wheat sell at
1925 a bushel, wages to be $3.50;
should wheat sell at $3.50 a buShel,
wages to be $6 a day.
work and overtime to be paid on all
threshing work at the proportionate
rate of 81 per day, to be based on
the price of No. northern at the To-
cal elevator.
Ten hour schedule for harvest
work means ten hours in the field.
Drivers of teams to care for them on
their own time.
Organized labor would be given
preference, but local labor not dis
criminated against. Food and sleep