The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1921-08-12

frequent conferences at the White
House for the express purpose Of
blocking his bill and directly accused
Secretary Mellon of looking at con-
ditions solely through a big business
Norris well-aimed attaclNso thor
oughly exposed the vicious provisions
of the Kellogg bill that the admins
train ran to cover and withdrew the
measure. Then McNary of Oregon
drafted a substitute, which also turns
over the administration of farm cred
its to the War Finance corporation
and protects the middlemen, but does
allow advances to individual produc-
ers and associations of producers as
well as to bankers and spectators.
The agricultural committee reported
this bill by vote of 10 to 2.
SHIPPING BOARD is ATTACKED
Senator La Toilette has launched
an attack on the United States ship
ping board this week, charging that
the American merchant marine was
dominated by British influences which
were deliberately sabotaging it's oper-
atoms. Senator La Toilette declared
that certain powerful railroad mag
mates, putting profits above patriot
ism, had formed combination with
British shipping interests to transport
all the foreign shipments they con-
troll in British vessels.
In support of his charges Senator
La Toilette referred to the report
made to the shipping board last
March by Roscoe G. Mitchell, assist
ant to the special American shipping
commissioner in Europe, in which he
declared that the British were con-
Quoting an active propaganda cam
paign, within our own borders," to
discredit the merchant marine. He
also quoted from the sensation speech
made last January by Senator Jones
of Washington, chairman of the
senate commerce committee and au-
thor Of the present shipping act, in
which he stated that the British were
determined to retain their maritime
supremacy and were willing to go to
any length to do it.
Senator La Toilette declared the
British had gained control of the ma
tons merchant marine through COM
panies that were posing as American
concerns but were in reality English.
To these, he said, the shipping board
had allocated it's finest vessels.
eff the British board of trade had
controlled the affairs of the shipping
board, it could not have done worse
for our merchant marine than the
shipping board has done" he declared.
FEDERAL RESERVE DEFEATED
FARMERS
John Shelton Williams, formerly
comptroller Of the treasury, recently
told the appointed committee On agri-
cultural inquiry some pointed thruths
about the discrimination practlced by
the federal reserve banking board
against the farmers of the country.
He showed that during the period
of deflation certain New York banks
were loaned more money than all the
country banks in the agricultural
states. This money was in turn
handed out to bank officers at special
rates to be used for speculative pur.
poses, while Governor Harding Of the
| federal reserve board told farmers
they could not get money with which
to hold their crops because this woulc
"aid speculation" The federal re-
serve board charged country banks
higher rates than it charged New
York banks, and according to Mr.
Williams, deliberately tried to debate
the prices Of farm products.
All economists who have studlec
the question from an unbiased stand.
point have come to the conclusion that
The federal reserve banks have beer
| run in the interests Of Wall street
and Mr.. Williams corrcborate~; these
conclusions by citing definite instance:
which prove this point. Progressive
in congress are demanding that bust
ness men, farmers and workers bt
given representation on the govern
ine board, but this demand will b;
resisted by the administration, which
wants to keep it's cont.ul exclusivel.
IL the hands of bankers. Natural!
the bankers run the board for thu
benefit of themselves and their fel
low bankers and the rest Of the coun
try suffers, through their unconscior.
able greed and stupidity.
TARIFF MUST BE REVISED
In previous letters / repeated!
pointed out that the Fordney tariff bill
was a monstrosity, full Of Jokers
which imposed such high rates tina
it would. shut off all imports and Kill
foreign trade as well by causing re
prisals in Europe. l also pointed ou
that the Republican majority limite'
debate, practically made amendments
| impossible, and rushed this make
shift measure through the house be
fore it's members had time even t