The Washington herald., 1921-12-26
Farmer Bloc Forces C. O.P.
To Yield to Its Demands
Economic Distress in West and South Respon.
sible for Growth of New Political
Power in Congress.
(oepyright. lsal.)

ditions which brought the farmer
bloc into being. 1t was purely a
case of political action growing out
Of economic conditions. There was
never anything in politics more
spontaneous. more natural, or more
sincere.
! do not know just what par
ticular Senator took the initiative.
1t is clear, however. that from the
beginning the acknowledged leader.
of the movement was, and is. Sem
ator' William s. Kenyon. of Iowa
Another Senator closely associated
with Kenyon in leadership is Cap
per, of Kansas. From these two
outward to the fringes of the group
there are a number of Senators
who participate in varying degrees
in the meetings and counsels.
Mostly West Of MississippL
The Republican,. in the group
and for the moment 1 am speaking
Of the Republicans only-practically
all are from States west of the
Mississippi. The only Republican
Senators from east OF the Miss
issippi who have had much parti-
cipation IN the movement are the
two from Wisconsin, La Toilette
and Lenroot. La Toilette 10, by
choice a0d practice, 4 solitary nav
erick in politics. About the last
thing he would do would be to sub
scribe to group action. or to obi
cations o. team work that might
impair his complete liberty OF &C
ton in any contingency. Never
theless. q Is a fact that La Toilette
has shared most OF the steps taken
by the farmer bloc Lenroot. who
is one of the ablest men in the
Senate. has a position considerably
further toward the outer fringe of
the movement. BY reason OF his
ability and standing, he has been
particularly helpful on occasions
when his convictions have coin
cided with those of the farmer bloc
Kellogg of Minnesota is another
ordinarily conservative Senator who
has occasionally occupied a posi-
ton on the outer fringe OF the
farmer bloc. Senator Ladd of North
Dakota has been close to the heart
Of the movement. SO have Norbeck
of South Dakota, Kendrick OF Wyo-
ming, and McNary OF Oregon.
johnson and Borah Not In 1t.
Several Senators, who are fire.
quently described as radical, like
Johnson. of California, and Borah.
Of Idaho, have not been formally
Identified with the farmer bloc. 1t
is also fact that a few Senators
who come from purely agricultural
states, and who. therefore, might
be expected to be in the heart OF
the movement, have not really par
ticipated in II in any formal way.
But IT Is not possible TO list all
the members Of the bloc, nor to
state with exact justice the degree
OF participation in It or of dissent
from it that Senators have had.
Some Senators who have not at
tended the formal meetings OF the
bloc have nevertheless voted in
favor Of most OF the measures 1t
originated. Nothing that is here
said should be interpreted too def
nitely by readers or others who
contemplate political action one
way or another, based on the iden-
tincation, or lack of Identification.
Of various Senators with the
farmer bloc.
So much for the farmer bloc in
the Senate. In the House the bloc
has been less rigidly organised, but
has been, neverthe less, on the
whole, equally potent in casting
the balance of power. Also 1t is
clearly fact that the membership
Of the bloc in the Lower House is
rapidly growing.
Allied With Dem ocrsts.
This covers very incompleteiy
and with no pretense to exact ac-
curacy the Republican part Of the
bloc. One of the first acts of the
leaders Of the farmer bloc, and a
thing which has been at the heart
OF their success. was the forming
or an alliance with q considerable
number of Southern Democrats. In
the cotton producing States. of the
South, farming conditions last year
Here fully as distressing as Secre-
0ry wallace has described them IN
the Agricultural States Of the West
II was this partnership in economic
distress that made the political
partnership easy. The economic
remedy that would relieve the West
would also relieve the South.
Among the Southern Democratic
Senators who are commonly de-
scribed as having participation in
the bloc are Smith. of South Caro-
lima; Fletcher, Of Florida; Sheppard,
of Texas; Harris, Of Georgia; Car
away, Of Arkansas, and Helm, Of
Alabama.
In this list Of Democrats, as well
as In naming the Republicans who
are generally regarded as having
participated in the bloc. there is no
pretense to completeness or exact