The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-06-11
Proposed Planks
From Farmers For
Party Platforms


ment that the public should tell
their representatives and let political
parties know what measures, and
what policies the people demand, "
than to address a QUESTIONABLE to
political parties and candidates, ac-
cording to Mr.. George P. Hampton,
Managing Director of the Farmers
National Council, who thus writes
Chairman Cummings and Chairman
Hays of the Democratic and Repub-
lican National Committees, enumerat-
ing some of the planks the Farmers
National Council thinks should be in
corporated in the Democratic and
Republican Party platforms.
Mr.. Hampton, in his letter made
public today, says that in addition
to voicing the demands of three
quarters of million farmer members
of farmers organizations united to
carry out the Farmers National Re
construction Program, the Council
is expressing the conviction of hun
dreds of thousands of farmers not
affiliated with the Council, and he
states that with the main features
of their program a large proportion
of the organized labor forces of
America are also in complete and
hearty accord.
The spokesman for the farmers
does not mince words. He says
that political parties are the SER
wants of the people and the people
should give these parties instructions,
and eff the parties follow these in
structions they are entitled to the
support of the people, otherwise they
are not so entitled"
Government Ownership of Railroads
and Merchant Marine
The first demand of the Farmers
National Council is for government
ownership and democratic operation
of the railroads, because, Mr.. Hamp-
ton states, "Three months tragic eX-
perience since the first of March
with private competitive operation of
the railroads has driven home to
every Thoughtful American that such
operation of railroads is not only
undemocratic but uneconomic. The
| total so-called deficit for two years
under Federal control of railroads
! Interstate Commerce Commissioner
WoolIey states, was $100,000,000 less
than the increased cost under private
operation for a single year" The
alleged deficit was largely due, Mr.
! Hampton says, to the enormous COM
pensation guaranteed the railroads
while American farmers believe that
the roads SHOULD be conducted eff
ficiently for service and not waste
| fully for private profit"
The farmers demand that the ships
built with the peoples money shall
remain the property of the people
and severely arraign the two bills
which have passed Congress provid-
ing for the sale of our ships.
Packer Control Legislation
Packer control legislation is urged
and attention is called to the fact
that despite the practically unani.
nous demand of organized farm and
labor forces, of the National Con-
sumers' League and the National
League of Women Voters, Congress
has failed to pass any packer control
legislation.
War Debt Paid By Taxes on
Privilege Not on Poverty
Mr.. Hampton calls attention to the
fact that from present indications
by the end of the next fiscal year
June Both, 1921, the total national
debt will be close to forty billion
dollars, and asks that both political
parties pledge themselves to main
tain the highest rate of taxation lev
| led during the war on excess anC
war profits, on income and estates
until the full money cost of the wal
has been paid.
The Council urges a tax on the
value of land and other natural re-
sources for speculation, and a rap
idly progressing tax on the capital
value of property with an exemp-
ton of $4,000, which would yielC
on conservative estimate at least
fifteen billion dollars.
Farmers Must Have Adequate and
Cheap Credit
The farmers claim that the con-
centration of the credit of the coun-
try in the hands of a little group OF
financiers is unAmerican and Is
throttling agriculture as well as man.
ufacturing and demand new legisla-
ton and measures to make credit as
cheap and as available to agricul-
ture as to any other equally respon-
sible and reputable business.
Additional demands of the Farm
ers' National Council are for legis.
lation to protect farmers co-opera-
tive organizations conducted for mu.
tual benefit from the penalties anC
prosecutions of the antitrust laws
for restoration of personal liberty by
the repeal of espionage and seditior
acts enacted during the war; and the