Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-16
FARMERS PLEDGED
IN WAR WITH LABOR
Nonpartisan League President
Addresses Delegates at
Buffalo Convention.
COOPERATION IS KEYNOTE
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BUFFALO. N. Y. November ia
pledge from the farmers to join hands
with union labor to help win the war
was given at today's session of the
American Federation of Labor by A. c.
Townley. president of the Farmers
Nonpartisan League. and L. V. Strayer.
second vice president of the National
Farmers Congress.
The farmers realize" Mr.. Strayer
said. 1.-The great responsibility that
rests upon them In this great world
crisis. When the liberties for which
our forefathers fought are in danger
it is important for we workers in the
cities and in the fields to understand
one another. The fallacy that we are
opposed to you and you to US should
De corrected"
President Townley urged the fedora
ton to cooperate In putting field ana
factory war products on the market at
lower prices and in greater quantities.
Let Hands Be Joined
Let the two great classes Of produc-
ers join hands behind the government
in this war" he said Let us put down
prisingly short time that our people at
home will be better and more economi-
cally fed. our forces at the front better
and more economically equipped"
In regard to the political aspect Mr..
Townley said.
Remember that this would be no
mean coalition. The farmers of this
country represent 81 per cent, labor
rs per cent of the nations voting
strength"
Made Bitter Attack.
President Townley made bitter at
tack on the milling interests. declaring
that the farmers received only 80 cents
n bushel for wheat under low grad
ing. while the standard wheat flour. No.
I northern. was selling at $3.50. But"
he added, all Of our eighty-cent wheat
finds its way into the flour mills and
into your -four barrels. These fellows"
he continued. ARE strong for liberty
and democracy
IF you hear that the farmers are not
in their flag raisings and parades you
will know IT is because these millers
suspicious of the liberty that may come
through the milling interests"
A resolution now before the conven-
ton calling upon the government to
take over the -four milling industry
was read and approved by President
Townley.
Bernard Cohen. director of labor of
Illinois. brought a message from the
governor Of that state and a pledge to
use every proper means to adjust labor
difficulties.
The speech Of William H. Barr. president
of the National Founders Association.
in which he criticised the governments
policy in dealing with labor's prob
lens, was freely discussed by the dele
gates attending the thirty-seventh an
nual convention of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor here today and a reply
was looked for from the floor of the
convention.
The eight-hour day, Mr.. Barr de-
York. is an economic waste and a grave
menace in time of war. He denounced
particularly the agreement between the
secretaries of War and Navy that any
manufacturer accepting certain war
contracts should be governed by union
hours. wages and coalitions at the time
nomfnally in existence In his locality.
Mr.. Barr declared union labor was pur-
suing a policy which. like the sub
marine, was attacking American indus
tries beneath the surface and added that
our government. after only six months
of hostilities is sanctifying an indus
trial status of disastrous socialism SIM
liar to that from which England.
emerged only with supreme effort
after two years"
A resolution introduced by Vice Pres
ident James A Duncan of the American
Federation Of Labor. and now before
the resolutions committee, covers the
plan Of naming an emergency labor
supply commission. which Mr. Barr con-
demns