Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-05
Heads of Sixteen Leading
Farm Organizations Ar
range Huge Protest
Against Houston's Policy


nationwide mass meeting of the
heads of all farm organizations of
the United States to meet in Wa
ington October II and IS to inaugu-N
rate protest against curtaflment of
farm credits. with particular refer
ence to recent public statements by
Secretary Houston. of the United
states treasury, indicating a deter
mination on his part that the federal
reserve banks should curtaiI farm
credits, was issued Saturday after
noon IN Atlanta, as the outgrowth of
the Georgia cotton mass meeting held
last Thursday in the senate chamber
in the state capitol.
The meeting appointed a special
committee of nine to communicate
with the heads of all farm organiza-
tons concerning the advisability Of
nationwide meeting Of protest In
Washington. The committee at once
opened telegraphis communications
most encouraging response. The call
for the meeting then was drawn up
and issued Saturday afternoon.
1t is addressed to the representa-
'tives of organized agricultural as
sociations, to state commissioners OF
agriculture and to all others interest
ed in the welfare of the farmers. 1t
is signed by Charles S. Barrett, on
behalf of the National Farmers
I'm ion. hol,a1f
of the American Cotton association:
j. J. Brown, on behalf Of the cotton
states advisory marketing board;
Charles A. Lyman, secretary of the
national board of farm organizations
representing the Farmers Educat ton
al and Cooperative Union of Amer
lea, the Farmers National Congress,
the National Agricultural Organiza-
ton society, the National Conferences
on Marketing and Farm Credits. the
Pennsylvania State Grange, the Ma
tional Milk Producers Federation,
the Farmers Society of Equity. the
American Association of Agricultural
Legislation, the Inter-Mountain Farm
ers' association, the Corn Belt Meat
Producers association, the Farmers
Equity union, the National Dairy
union. and the Pennsylvania Rural
Progress association.
Text Of Call
The text of the call for the mass
meeting in Washington is as fol.
lows:
~ Owing to the present demoralized
condition both of export and domestic
marketing of farm products, and to
the policy of artificial defiation an
nounced by Secretary Houston, of the
United States treasury department,
contrary to the law of supply and de-
mand, which have forced the market
prices of many farm products be-
low the cost of production,
1--WE. the undersigned official repre-
sentatives of the agricultural ASSOC
Citations below named do hereby call
a national convention of these assoc
ers of agriculture of the various
states and all other interested agri.
cultural producers, to meet in Wash.
ington. d. c., October IL and IS in
the home of the national board of
farm organizations, 1871 Eye street,
N. W., for the purpose of taking
definite action regarding market con-
ditions which, if maintained, will
mean the loss of hundreds of mill
lions of dollars to the farmers of the
United States.
This call is issued in response to
requests from thousands of agricul-
'tural producers in all parts Of the
United States, who say that
1.-THE United States should seize
the opportunity for world trade.
"It is the duty Of government to
promote in every way possible peri
cd of intense worldwide commercial
activity.
"It is the duty Of government to
assist agricultural producers in the
orderly handling and marketing OF
their products in unrestricted mar
kets, on a basis of the law of supply
and demand.
ION staple products, the sale must
be carried over a period sufficient to
provide a legitimate demand based
upon that natural law.
THE price of farm products muse
not be below and should be above
the cost of production. 81
' There should be no statement is
sued by government officials in any
department tending to affect prices of
agricultural products, except regular
statements issued by the department
of agriculture on crop conditions and
indicated yield.
Enormous Losses to Farmers"
Mature requires set period be-
tween seeding and harvesting; and, to
debate under existing conditions,
would bring to the producer enor-
nous losses, would mean decreased
production and, in the end, penaliZe
the consumer.
Secretary Houston has moved di-
rectly contrary to the policy of con-
gress in refusing to re-establish the
war finance corporation, which was,
specifically empowered to use up to
81, O00.000,000 to facilitate exports. No
part of this sum has, as yet, been
utilized.
"It is absolutely necessary to
agricultural an dcommercial life, be-
fore proceeding further with produc-'
ton, to be assured as to what extent
the policy of defation will be carried.
agricultural producers are now
forced to shoulder enormously in
creased transportation charges, heav-
Ter taxes and larger wages for la
Dor. all granted through govern
mental sources
1.-THE federal reserve system was
largely to care for the or
derby marketing of agricultural
products, and we believe that, in ac-
cordance with law, it should now
serve that end.