New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-20
North Dakota Body Will
Start Campaign Against
Middlemen Here
To Form Local Branch
Object Is to Bring Farmers
and Producers Together to
Fight Living Cost

II the national food administration
sss left any shivers in the system Of
the food brokers, jobbers and similar
n,sdlemen dealing in edibles and
o,her farm products. they may as vel.
,,epare for their last shiver. And a
historic SILVER it promises to be, for
the Non-Partisan League of North
Dakota, which prides itself on being
me pet DOGGY of big business in the
Middle West, is on the way East.
The first stop will be New York
City. where a branch of the league is
70 be planted next Monday. A. c.
Townley, president, organizer of the
North Dakota farmers movement. is
10 ofie.ate at the ceremonies, which
sin take place in Cooper Union.
The New York branch is to be known
As the Non-Partisan Food Conference
Of Producers and Consumers, according
20 an announcement made yesterday by
Carl Beck, secretary Of the Labor
Forum and Of the Labor Food Con-
ference.
Organized TO Tour State
The meeting has been arranged by
John ]. Dillon, State Food and Market
commissioner, and Mr.. Beck. The for
mer met Mr.. Townley at the American
Fede~stion Of Labor convention in Buff
falo last week and invited him to New
York 10 spread his views, and aid IN
movement 20 organize producers and
consumers in league against food spec
uIators and other mlddlemen. 1t IS
planned TO have Mr.. Townley tour the
state and exhort farmers to form
militant organization. such as that OF
North Dakota, TO secure higher prices
for their products and smash the
profits Of distributers-in fact, do
their own distributing through CO.
operative agencies.
All the food administrators OF New
York City wiz be invited TO attend the
meeting in Cooper Union next Monday
"It Is q serious start for an organ
ized movement already suggested by
both farmers and union labor" sa'd
Nr Dillon last night. The farmers OF
this state and the workingmen of the
ci+v are at last 70 join hands, and Mr..
Townlev is coming here with a message
from the West TO help US out. have
inst returned from a meeting OF farm
ers in Chenango County, and | know
me sentiment Of rural New York is
ripe for this move.
To Eliminate Middlemen
Eve have material for an organiza-
ton Of matchless strength. Two-thirds
of the population Of New York State
consist OF farmers and wage earners.
Heretofore the producers OF the coun-
trv and the consumers Of the city have
been kept apart by the middlemen.
Now they are going to get together to
eut the cost of distribution and divide
Setween them some of the profits,
which heretofore have gone TO men
that merely buy and sell and do not
even see the product which they
menipulate in the market. OF course
the Dig idea on the part Of the farmer
is 20 pet more for the stuff he raises,
while the consumer would get his food
~ a lower price.
INV idea in fostering such q move
nout is IN relation TO the war. FROM
nstriotic standpoint, such an organiza-
ion would be the best thing that could
ha1Den for this country. We have,
college Of doctrinaires working on the
food problem at present. They are not
Getting anywhere, and they never Will.
The great problem now to be solved Is
how 10 increase production"
League Has Political Strength
The naturalization Of the Nom Parti-
san League was planned more tnsn a
wear ago, yhen the league established
branches in Montana, Minnesota, South
Dakota. even ranging as far East as
Wisconsin and Michigan. The league
has centred its heaviest fire on the
Minneapolis Chamber Of Commerce, the
south St. Paul Livestock Exchange, the
Duluth Board Of Trade and the Chicago
Board Of Trade, while its long distance
sr-illery has practised on bombarding
The New York Stock Exchange and
Wall Street creation which the league
ca,ls ~the money trust
The league elected one o. It's eham-
mons. LYNN Frazier. Governor Of North
Dakota. Il has elected several Repre-