Willmar tribune., 1919-09-24

Washington, D. C.-By q vote of 108
to Z the house on September 10 passed
the bill amending certain sections of
the federal farm loan act so as to
eliminate red tape in the working of
the farm loan association. Little oppo-
sttion to this bill is expected in the
senate and an effort will be made to
have it ready for the presidents sigma
ture on his return to Washington the
end OF this month.
eral farm loan act now carries the
following changes:
I. The appointment of an assistant
registrar in each land bank district is
provided, this official to have author.
tty to receive applications for loans in
the absence Of the registrar.
2. 1t is provided that on approval
OF loan the applicant is automatical-
ly made member of the farm loan
association to which his application is
made. His name does not have to be
voted on by the association.
3. The provision that all three mem
bers of the loan committee of farm
loan association shall be required to
make joint appraisal of the land of
an applicant is eliminated. The report
OF the land bank appraiser is all that
is necessary for this vaulation.
4. 1t is provided that advance
amortization payments may be made
in denominations desired by the loan
holder.
5. The minimum farm bond is fixed
at a 800 denomination, on the ground
that bonds of smaller denomination are
regarded. not as an investment but
practically as currency.
Packer Witnesses Exposed.
In letter sent to Senator Gronna,
chairman OF the senate agriculture
committee, this week the Southern
Wholesale Grocers' association gives
sharp reply to the statements of the
packer press agents in Washington
that out Of 80 witnesses who have tes-
titled before the agriculture commit
tee on the Kenyon and Kendrick licens-
ing bills, SO were opposed to these
measures.
In this letter Lewis H. Haney, d.
rector of the research bureau of the
Wholesale Grocers' Association, as
serts that of the SO witnesses unfavor.
able to the Kenyon and Kendrick bills
are Of three classes:
l. The paid employees of the big
packers.
2. The packer subsidized witnesses.
3. The witnesses who are afraid OF
the big packers.
Asserting that majority of the SO
have appeared before the senate CON-
| mittee at packer expense, according to
his information, Mr.. Haney requests
that the committee "call Mr.. Brooks
Of Swift & Co., put him under oath,
and ask him how much money the Big
Five packers have spent or have be-
come obliged to pay to date in rail-
| road fares, hotel bills, ETC., for the de-
voted 88 witnesses"
Stockmen Want Regulation.
A powerful and active propaganda
machine built up in Washington by
| the packers has been trying to create
the impression that livestock produc-
ers are opposed to the enactment of
the Kenyon and Kendrick bills for
packer control. The fact in this case
| is that the American National Live
| stock association, one of the largest
organizations Of livestock producers
| in the country, has heartily indorsed
the packer control legislation.
Commenting on the packer campaign
of Misrepresentation as to the stock
| raisers' attitude, William Kent, form
erly member of the United States
tariff commission and now chairman
of the national marketing committee,
| says:
''The packers have badly overplayed
| the game of trying to scare the Ameri-
can people into thinking that livestock
producers will stop raising stock after
the Kenyon bill goes through. The in
dorsement Of the regulatory legisla-
ton by the American National Live
| stock Association shows that the pro-
| ducers realize that they need the pro-
| lection of this legislation just as the
consumers do
! Try to Divide Farmers.
A strong appeal to the farmers of
the country to unite with labor in the
battle against the common enemy of
monopolistic control, and to repudiate
| those self-styled farm leaders" who
| are now attacking labor as being re-
sponsible for the high cost of living,
is made by George P. Hampton, man
aging director of the Farmers Ma
tional council.
"The seriousness of the farm situa-
tion," Mr.. Hampton says, requires
most careful consideration of the eco.
nomic factors of production. It is
most unfortunate that some farm lead
ers have seized upon the present situa.
ton to attack labor as responsible for
the high cost of living. Such action
necessarily plays into the hands of the
privileged classes of the country
which have always striven to drive a
| wedge between the farmers and the
other labor forces of America 1t is
q testing time for American farmers
The predatory interests are working
overtime to divide the farmers and tC
get them to go off on false leads"
Pointing out that nothing funda-
mental can be done in solving the cost
of-living problem and it's accompany
the entire country, having in view
the purpose of teaching the people
that the future safety and security of