The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-11-04
(By Benjamin G. Marsh)

Master Lowell raises a question OF
supreme Importance not only to ev-
cry member of the Grange, but to
every American citizen. The Ameri-
can people will not approve Prus-
sianism in any organization. 1t is
not State Master Bouck who is on
trial but the National Grange. No
matter what the outcome of the
Washington situation, the progressive
farmers of the Northwest, of the
West and of the East will not per-
nit any National officers to attempt
to prevent the expression of opinion
| by any member of the Grange by
such summary, immoral and prob
ably illegal action as that> taken
by National Master Lowell. 1t is
matter of public record that only
about half of the members of the
Grange in the country as whole
are bona fide farmers, or working
on farms. 1t is equally true that
the National Grange, whether inten-
tionally or not, has been serving the
| predatory, reactionary and monop-
oily interests for many, many years.
In National Master Lowell's letter
to State Master Bouck suspending
him from office, Mr.. Lowell says:
"You make the statement that the
Grange is in politics and undertake
to substantiate it at considerable
length. You do this, knowing all
the time exactly what the obliga-
ton of the Master is relative to
politics."
1t is we'll known that the National
Grange was organized as a frater-
nal body, but that early in the polit-
ical record of Mark Hanna, which
we assume the National state Off
he secured control of the Grange,
killed it off quite largely in the
Southern states or rendered it i'm
potent and strengthened it in states
which he hoped to keep strongly Re-
publican. National Master Lowell
knows full we'll that he has been in
in politics up to his ears, particular
ly in the east, where not much over
one-third of the members of the
Grange are bona fide farmers. In
order to elect Mr.. Lowell National
Master, Mr.. Aaron o. Jones, an old
time political henchman of Mark
Hanna. was suddenly called up to
the Grand Rapids meeting. Officers
of State Oranges have frequently
been placed in political positions.
Not all the present members of the
Grange remember the fight which
was made by the National Grange
upon Brother George P. Hampton
when Brother Hampton exposed the
corrupt politics and reactionism of
the National Grange. This would
be too long a story to tell, but it
has all been published and is avail
able to any member of the Grange
who cares to write for it, and it was
well known to thep resent leaders
of the National Grange.
National Master Lowell, in his let
ter of suspension, criticises State
Master Bouck for saying that we
should not help in a further war by
paying taxes or otherwise, but Ma
tional Master Lowell omitted the
qualifying statement of Brother
Bouck that we should not do this
except "to repel invasion" The big
predatory interests of this country,
seeking to secure valuable conces
sions, such as mining concessions,
railroads, and other very profitable
investments in backward countries,
will all applaud Brother Lowell's
criticism of Brother Bouck. 1t is
incumbent, however, upon National
Master Lowell to state very frankly
which of these predatory concession
grabbing interests he is serving. He
knows that we won "war to end
war;" He knows that while in
- of ~
try every loyal American would de-
fend his country, the position which
he takes as National Master is moral
treason to the avowed purposes for
which we entered the war. Why
does National Master Lowell want
to get the members of the National
Grange in a frame of mind to sup
port war to protect the exploiting
interests of our country, who, now
seeking concessions in foreign coun-
tries, will be urging us to go at
war shortly to enforce their unjust
demands upon peoples of backward
countries. Does National Master
Lowell think, forsooth, that farmers
and their sons should be called upon
to sacrifice their lives to increase
the ungodly gains of our millionaires,
| multimillonaires and bllllonalres.
This is the only explanation of his
attack upon Brother Bouck's state
ment regarding war. 1t was brought
out at the trial of State Master
Bouck at the National Grange con-
vention in Boston last year that the
National Grange solicited and re-
ceived money from big commercial
| interests, who are opposing the prop
err and laudable effort of farmers to
| go into the distribution and market
| ing of their own products. Ma
| tional Master Lowell knows that
| had State Master Bouck made any
| seditious utterances or even unpa-
| triotic utterances, on war, the flnan-
cial and big business interests of the
State of Washington would promptly
have called it to the attention of the
| Prosecuting Attorney, or the Depart
ment of Justice.
National Master Lowell criticised
| Brother Bouck for his criticism of
our industrial conditions. This is
part of the game which the National
Grange officers, contrary, we be-
| lieve. to the purpose and desire of
| the overwhelming majority of the
real farmer members of the Grange,
are making to bait labor, and to play
the game of the reactionary and cor
porate special privilege interests
which are seeking to keep farm and
labor forces apart. National Master
| Lowell gives as one reason for his
suspension of State Master Bouck
that the Washington State Grange
has pledged per capita dues to the
Farmers National Council, and cites
the ruling of his predecessor that a
State Grange could not be affiliated