The Washington times., 1920-10-28
LABOR JOINS IN.
FARMERS WAR.
Federation Secretary and Ma.
Chinists' Head Promise Aid
in Fight on Bankers.
BY MILDRED MORRIS.
international News Service.

Frank Morrison. secretary of the
American Federation Of Labor, and
William II. Johnston. head Of the In
ternational Machinists' Union, today
notified farmers in session here
that labor will join with agricul-
tural interests in q movement to Sc
cure extension of credit for pro-
ducers and to map out a political
program.
POWERFUL ALLIANCE.
This was the first step in a plan
for q powerful alliance between Ia
Dor and the agricultural interests.
"Profiteering capitalists are play
ing the farmers against labor" Frank
Morrison said, addressing the confer
ence. I'VE have kept apart too long
and II is time that we got together
We must combine to eliminate the
profiteer."
Morrison said that the American
Federation Of Labor will aid the
farmers to secure sufficient credit to
meet their present crisis. He said
that the federation will Join with the
farmers in opposing "monopolistic
control OF the packing industry" and
in waging a fight for public owner
ship and democratic control OF the
railroads.
The conference which opened here
today under the auspieces Of the Ma
tional Board of Farm Organizations
Is expected to perfect the alliance.
Benjamin G, Marsh. Of the Farmers
National Council. addressed the con-
ference and called for an alliance be
tween the farmers and labor to work
for a program embracing Legislation
for the extension of short-time loans
to farmers. public ownership of the
railroads and merchant marine, di-
rect marketing and termination OF
speculation in farm lands.
Martin Amorous, of Cobb county
Georgia, announced that he would
seek a conference with Samuel Comp.
ers. relative to the proposed alliance
SOLUTION IS CO-OPERATION.
A proposal to fuse the financial re.
sources of both labor and farmers and
organise cooperative banks throughout
the country will be part Of the program
presented to the representatives OF
1000. 900 farmers.
The leaders declared today that the
only solution of the farmar's prob.
lem lies in cooperation with organi.
lied labor. To illustrate the poten-
tialities OF an alliance such as pro-
posed. they pointed out that when the
farmers OF the non-Partisan League
Of North Dakota were recently de-
MED further Ions by the bankers
they were able through help secured
from labor, to get enough money to
move their crops. The Chicago Fed
GRAFTON of Labor and other unions
withdrew their deposits from banks
in various cities and transferred them
to the Partisan League Bank in
North Dakota.
"The same interests fighting the
farmer are fighting organized labor.
said Arthur Holman. of the National
Board of Farm Organizations. "Ths
banker Is the common enemy of both
BY uniting their resources they car
fight this power with its own weapon
money.
"The time has come for agriculture
and labor to unite for mutual wei
fare and for the welfare of the public
They have awakened to the realiza.
tion that their fundamental interests
are the same.
Agriculture must have its owr
banks. run by farmers. Agriculture
banks and labor banks working to-
gether could WELD a tremendous
power. As things look now the only
hope OF the farmer lies In co-opera-
tion with labor"