The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-27
EmpOria Editor Warns Nation
of Impending Crisis.
Says TOwnIey's League Being
Fought by Politicians.
KANSAS THE BATTLE-GROUND
Producers Have Real Grievance
and Must Be Heard.
Head of Farmers Union Here
Denies Whites Claims.

New York. Jan. 2z.-Middle west
ern farmers will bolt into the Non
partisan league unless other political
parties meet their demands, said VIII
liam Allen White, famous Kansas edi-
tor, in an interview with the United
Press today.
Kansas is the battle ground be-
tween the invading forces of the
League and the political organizations
of the old time parties, both of whom
are striving desperately to secure con-
troll of the farmer vote and thru it the
state of Kansas.
Farmer Has Grievance.
1.-The farmer has a genuine Sriev-
ance," White said, "in the marketing
system which permits low prices for
produce and high prices for food. II
the conservative forces of society DO
not meet the problem. there is moth
ing for the farmer to do but join the
League"
In Kansas, he said with the League
making a determined effort to round
up members, the state legislature has
a chance to combat it thru proposed
laws legalizing cooperative market
ing and providing other relief.
Spoiled by Leaders.
the Nonpartisan I feel that an organ
ization so closely knit and under such
strong domination of irresponsible
leadership will not get the best results
in America. 1 should say this, even
tho the leadership might be composed
of men of unquestioned capacity and
character, for the League as it is go
ing tends strongly TO undemocratic
control.
1T so happens that the present lead
! II,
west is weakened by charges, whether
true or not against the character and
"a pac city of its leadership.
These leaders must know, if they
are as wise as they should be, how
they handicap the League. If they
don't know it, they are unfit for lead
ership; if they do know it, they are
too selfish for leadership.
I'm the main, the things which the
League advocates are worth consider
ing The farmer in this country has
genuine grievance against commerce
as it is organized Between the pro-
ducer and consumer, there is grievous
maladjustment in distribution. Low
prices for produce and high prices for
food is intolerable.
All Up to Society.
"1t will not suffice to charge that
TownIey (president of the League),
was disloyal during the war and that
his associates are Socialists, in meeting
this problem. The problem exists in
spite of Townley and his associates,
and it must be met. If the conserva-
tive forces of society do not meet it
intelligently. the farmer has nothing
TO do but join the League with its lead
ership, bad as 1t is said to be, and its
methods poor as they are.
Moreover, that is exactly what the
farmer is going to do. He is hesitating
in the whole middle west. He has
genuine grievance. He is looking to
party leaders for relief"
Maurice McAuliffe. head of the
Farmers Union in Kansas, doesn't
trail with william Allen White in his
New York statement today to the ef
feet that farmers of the middle west
will turn to the Nonpartisan league
foe relief. To the contrary McAuliffe
asserted that it was whites foolish
editorial of several weeks ago that
rIade necessary the farmer organiza-
t!or before the state legislature at this
time.
AT the state house today the head
of the Farmers Union was told of
Whites New York interview. He
flatly denied that the farnsers of Kan
sas are looking to the League for re-
lief The Farmers Union in Kansas
has a membership of between 40. 900
and $4,000 agriculturists and stock
raisers.
The farmers are not going into the
Nonpartisan league" McAuliffe de-
clared. THE legislature in this state
has shown a desire to be fair to the
farmers and that is all the farmers
want. If it hadn't been for Whites
foolish editorial several weeks ago. it
wouldn't be necessary to be here now.
The farmers will get the relief they
need from the old parties. They are
not going into an organization that
was strongly suspected of disloyalty
during the war. Kansas farmers are
100 per cent loyal. They want only a
fair square deal and there is nothing
to indicate they will not get it,
McAuliffe and John Trombie. vice
president of the union spoke before
the state legislature last week. They
asserted their faith in the Kansas
lawmakers and gave assurance that
there was no thought of turning the
big farmer organization over to the
Nonpartisan league.
President McAuliffe is attending
the legislative session as the author
ized representative of the Farmers
Union. When the house last week
adopted the Lambertson resolution
against state aid for hard surface
road building. officers of the union
made clear their belief that the far
mer interests would be protected by
the legislature of this state.