The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-18
GOVERNORS
GATHER IN
DES MONIES
Kendall's Opening Ad-
dress Outlines Grave
Situation.

Des Moines, Iowa, Oct 1S-Term-
ing the agricultural situation one
that prefgures bankruptcy, and
urging that something be done i'm
mediately to relieve the situation,
Governor n E. Kendall of Iowa this
afternoon addressed governors and
industrial commissioners from four
middle western states.
Governors w. H. McMasters OF
South Dakota, and S. R. Mckeivie
of Nebraska; r. G. knudson, indus
trial commissioner of Wisconsin; A.
L. Reed, chairman of the Kansas
railroad commission, and Ralph
I Brown, member of the railroad
commission of Nebraska, were pres
ent when Governor Kendall opened
the conference.
Governors Arthur NJ. Hyde, Mis-
souri,, j. a. Preus, Minnesota, and
John ]. Blaine, of Wisconsin, are
expected to arrive here tonight to
take part in the conference tonor-
row. The governors are not eX-
pected to take any definite action
or to go into details of their plans
until tomorrow.
The visitors will be guests of
Governor Kendall at a banquet to-
night
/ + Governor n. E. Kendall. in open
. ing the conference, called for the
purpose of discussing freight rates,
the unemployment situation, inter-
est charges and the cost of con-
struction materials, delivered the
following address:
Iowa Governors Address. !
inviting this conference of Middle
Western executives because l be-
lieve the financial, economical and
! industrial conditions of the country
demand the most serious attention
from all those in authority.
In all the states represented
here agriculture is the paramount
industry and upon its prosperity
depends the well-being of the en-
tire population. True, we mine
sCme, manufacture some, but fund
amentally our reliance is upon the
generous response of production of
the soil to the toll of those who
cultivate. Also of primary import
ance, therefore, those engaged in
that pursuit shall realize fair re-
turns on the investment of capital
and labor which they apply to it.
Farmers Lose Money.
1T is common knowledge among
all men that during the years 1920
and 1921 the farmers of the Mis-
sissippi valley have prosecuted
their enterprises at a substantial
IoSc and tho has hnan
that everywhere in the grain belt
agriculture is PROSTATE, manufac-
turing is paralyzed, business is
stagnant and idleness general. All
are agreed that something must be
done without delay to relieve a sit
uation which pre-figures bankrupt
cy, but nobody has as yet evolved
a concrete method through which
that relief can be Immediately and
certainly secured.
The seriousness of the situation
can not be overstated. l may be
assailed as a pessimist, but in my
judgment we have not yet sounded
the ultimate depths of our depres-
sion. On the contrary, we are ap-
preaching a., crisis which, unless
averted, will be unprecedented in
our history for the loss and suffer
ing it will entail.
Hopes for Solutions.
81 have believed that this con-
ference, by the sober consideration
of conditions as they exist through
out the country, by the mutual in
terchange of opinion concerning
remedies to be invoked, by the can
did examination of questions which
vitality affect the general welfare,
might be able to contribute some
what to the speedy solution of the
perplexing problems which con-
front us.
In my original letter suggesting
this meeting 1 ventured to indicate
freight rates, unemployment, inter
est charges and the cost Of con-
struction materials as legitimate
subjects of inquiry, but 1 did not
Intend thereby to limit our reviews
in any direction. 1 think the scope
of the conference should embrace
every topic that is now engaging
+Lz thnnOhffnI nROnfa