The producers news., 1918-07-12

TO the SOIL ana luFSSLlSdeC WAC
NOR that the farmers have griev-
ance. The Chamber of Commerce
of the United States has authorized
the appointment of committee OF
five of it's members to investigate
the complaints of the farmers and
report.
That the move is merely for the
purpose of furnishing campaign ma
terial to oppose the demands OF the
organized farmers may be judged
from the fact that North DAKOTA is
not scheduled to be included in the
investigation. Or, it may possibly
be that North Dakota farmers are
not supposed to have any grievances
since they control their own COVER
nor and legislature. Or, if they have
any now, the committee may think
they will have vanished by the time
that the investigators get around.
The committee members must have
big farming interests and must also
have business relationships that will
enable them to see both sides clear
| ly. Of course, no renters or small
men with eighty acres, team of
mules and mortgage will be placed
on the committee, for they would not
have the business connection neces-
sary to an impartial view.
WILL HEAR
! NONPARTISANS
Investigations are to be carried or
in Minnesota, Georgia, Iowa, Penn
sylvania and Illinois. Farmers wit!
grievances in other states may grievt
in silence and make complaint to the
moon. The committee is to atten1
meetings of the Nonpartisan League
and to follow to their source com
plants that seem to be well founded
Doubtless this will be done for th'
purpose of showing the farmers tina
their. grievances are, after all, i'm
aginery.
An inquiry at the headquarters O.
the United States Chamber of Com
merce brought no light on the sub
ject. Mr. Thorpe, who is editor o
| their magazine, "The Nations Busi
| ness, was exceedingly noncommit
tai, although quite ready to retail
all of the stories sent out from Min
nesota by Big Business. He was sur
that the farmers of Minnesota wer
| disloyal and that there was no trut
in the stories of aeportations
League members in Rock county.
| Mr.. Thorpe does not believe ths
the farmers should endeavor to cor
troll the government. He thinks thu
4 would lead to class legislation. Il
/ does not believe that the business an
professional men in the warrior
chambers of commerce would tole
ii ate any wrongs against the farme1
in their communities.
II It is under such auspices that tt
investigation is about to take plac
| That it will be of any value to tt
u real farmers may be doubted, b1
= that it will be used to bolster |
= Big Business may be taken Il
q granted.
LAND FOR
SOLDIERS
Plans are being worked out !
Secretary Lane of the Interior d
partment to connect Uncle Sans sc
diers and sailors with the public d
main when they return from the w
after peace is declared.
Every country is planning to pr
s. vide land for their defenders as
B sort of shock absorber to take ca
+ of the vast armies that will be turn
back into the channels of industrit
j England, France, Australia and Ca
ada have been considering land pr
iects for soldiers in various parts
their wide domains.
II In this country after the civil W
manv of the returned soldiers we
b on government land and were an il
portant factor in settling the we
Now the conditions are differe
Most of the good raw land is 60
Il but there are millions of acres tt
a may be made productive by dra
b age, by irrigation and by cleari
y away stumpage.
E Secretary Lane proposed that
soldiers shall not be sent to t
= land in it's raw but that the Cove
- ment shall engage in reclamat1
. projects and that homes shall be p
vided on farms that are all ready
occupants to operate. Some plan
allowing long term payments for
improvements will be worked c
Congress has already placed $2(
600 at the disposal of Secretary L:
as a preliminary appropriation.