New-York tribune., 1920-09-04


abroad, America First has meaning.
profound and, with Gods aid, ever
lasting.
.Fortunately. for this meeting, as we
stand face to face, it is true that you,
representing in part the farmers Of
TINS country, and 1 are charged with an
?ollgat!on of definite action, that fos-
ters the welfare of all AKerica-the
"ci1are OF the man who lives in the
mouse with the red barn and the pro-
ductlve telds behind it, and also the
industrlal city comes home at night
1all to climb the stairs to his fourth
lloor home behind the fire ESCAPES with
hunger in his body.
above all, desire that I may have
hand in stopping bunglins and eco
romlc nonsense and false promises and
prodlgai waste and dictatorial powers,
all OF which have smothered the farm
er, as they have smothered us all, for
elght years in taxes and interference.
II want to restore the will of the
people and stop the will Of the willful.
and: under the restoration, l desire to
oeal with all our great problems, not
IN the twilight of generalities, but in
the full sunlight of definition and for
ward marching.
With the agriculture of the United
States, the basic industry, am deeply
concerned If history does not deceive
US by unchanCing, repetition of her
precepts nation lives no longer than
her agricultural health abdes. 1t is
the soil that is our mother and the
mother of nations; 1t is land hunger
that POUNDS revolutions, anarchy and
decay.
The day of land hunger has come.
lhe day when we see before us the
spectacle Of the land-owning farmer
helng displaced by capitalistic specua-
Won IN land, and the soil exhausting
and landlord exploited tenant farmer
mas come. The day when the share of
the American farmer in whatever is
..ett of prosperity has been overtopped
by the share taken by our industrial
production has come. The day when
Industry outbids agriculture for labor
has come. The day when the profit of
the farmer has been cut down and the
price to the consumer has been lifted
up has come. The day when bad, or
wastctul, distribution between pro-
too much unrighteous profiteering by
TOO many unnecessary middlemen has
come. TIE day when production of our
soil must be protected against the soil
products Of countries of low standards
of living has come.
Wise Action Needed
"These conditions call for wise ac-
ton on the part of the gove rnmcnt.
They call for coed counsel They call
for the presence of the American far
mer in our government Offices, admin
lstratlve and rcpresentativ They call
for the extension of the farm lean
principle, not only in the case of the
man who already owns a farm, but to
worthy Americans who want to acquire
farms. In other words, they call for
capital available to the land specula-
tor.
Furthermore, these conditions call
for Willingness of all Americans to
act together in restoring to American
agriculture prosperity that will keep
land. owner and land worker upon our
SOL; We must obliterate the picture
of this year 1920, when we have allowed
the labor of the farm, wife and young
girls and old women, to be the substi-
tute for normal farm labor.
II believe that the American people,
through their government and other
wise, not only in behalf OF the farmer,
bat dn behalf Of their own welfare,
and the pccl:ctbooks of the consumers
OF America, viii encourage, make law
1ul and stimulate cooperative buying,
cooperative distribution and co0pcra-
Industry has been organized; labor
has been organized. Cooncration with
IN industry and within labor and in
deed, cooperation between the two, is
far. advanced. | do not contemplate the
organization CT the farmers and con-
sulncrs Of this country as a step to-
ward organization of a special interest
to obtain special favors. If l did.
would oppose it. But know full we'll
rf net oil oc l.
laborcrs, the business men, the teach
ers. the children, the rich and the poor,
the young and the old, the men and
the women-act together to find our
way. closer and easier and cheaper to
the sources of our food supply.
"lf these two-producers and con-
sumcrs of food-are not brought closer
together by organization, by better
railroad service, by the auxiliary Of
by the removal of legal obstructions to
Organized effort, | know that organized
p1 differing will squeeze in somewhere
between the producer and tho con-
sumer."
Senator Spencer Speaks
Charles S. Barrett, president Of the
farmers union, whose home is in I'm
ion City, Ga, presented the farmer
delegation who came from all sections
of the country. Senator Townsend, Of
Michigan, and Senator Philandcr Knox
were on the front porch when Senator
Harding addressed the visitors. One
Of their leaders who met the Senators
became confused during the introduce
ton and 80, later, when Senator Knox
lad gone into the Harding home. Sena-
TO, Townsend was introduced to each
ndiv1ual of the delegation as "Scna-
tor Knox, Of Pennsylvania. who used
to be Secretary Of State" Senator
Townsend never cracked SMILE but
Senator Knox, stxnding just within
car-yhot behind screen door enjoyed
it hugely.
There is no doubt that VIC will
sweep Missouri by a large majority"
said Senator Spencer. at used to be
that when we learned of an occas sional
Democrat supporting the Republican
ticket we were peculiarly delighted,
but this year the swing to Republican,
ism is 70 strong that there is not n
county or township or precinct in the
state where Democrats are not publicly
proclaiming their adherence to the Re-
publican cause.
"rhc truth is that our people are de-
tcrmincdly opposed to the Wilson Cox
League Of Nations. They will not have
it, and they are determined to support
Senator Harding in his efforts to have
done with wiggling and wobbling. The
ant lie M or ratio movement IL so pow