The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-05
AMERICAN FARMER> AMONG STRONGEST
 MEN AT CAPITAL
(Continued from Page OneJ

in providing for the operation of the Muscle Shoals nitrate plants by a corporation the stock of which was to have been retained by the govern ment.
 Big Salaries Paid
 1t is regarded as highly probable that the average farmer In the south is unaware of just how handsomely he maintains his representatives in Washington. 1t is highly probable that the average southern farmer would gladly exchange his income, even in normal times, for the $500 per month he pays his old fashioned rep resentatives in Washington. His eyes will probably open wide when he realizes that he pays the president of the American Farm Bureau feder- ation s15.000 per annum, or twice as much as the government of the United States pays a senator.
 This organization, the national headquarters of which is supported by tribute of more than s750,000 per annum, and which maintains a Wash ington office at cost of more than s30,000 per annum. is, of course, the influential farmers lobby.
 It has achieved nothing of ma terial benefit in consummated leg slation, but 1t has organized the agrarian bloc which admittedly ex- ists in hope of securing class legis- lation.
 The Master Minds
 The headquarters of the American Farm Bureau federation is at 205 Mallers building. Chicago. The Washington office is in the Munsey building, one of the best appointed zee f,l;, in the-capital.
 The officers are; J. R. Howard, president; O. E. Coverdale, secretary; Charles E.. Gunnells, treasurer and assistant secretary: Samuel R. Guard, director of education and publicity; attorney. Clifford Thorn.
 This organization maintains and operate the following bureaus Eco monies and statistics, transportation, marketing, organization education, and publicity. It's Washington force consists of director, an assistant, and three stenographers.
 MT. Howard, president, is paid Sl5,- 900 per annum; the vice president was formerly on a per diem, but it is un- derstood now draws q regular salary; the members of the executive com mittee receive s10 per day each while engaged, and traNaling expenses are paid. Gray Silver. Washington rep resentative draws $12.000 per annum; his assistant, $5.000 The attorney, Mir Thorn. one of the best in the west, draws S1.000 per month as re- tainer.
 Envy Is Aroused
 Gray Silver. very shrewd West Virginia democrat. before the House committee on banking and currency, January Fl, 1921. testified that "25 to 40 perAcent of the farmers of Amer lea are bankrupt" He had just pre- viously testified that despite their conditions. the farmers managed to pay dues to his organization in sums ranging from s5 to s15 each and to reward the services of President How ard and himself in the sums of Sl5,- 900 and $12.000 per annum.
 Because of the lavish display of money made indirectly by the Amer ican Farm Bureau federation, other organizations at work for the farm CTS have become jealous and envious it Is indicated Testimony before committees of Congress would lead to such conclusion. To that extent. therefore. the farmers, by virtue of their generosity, may be weakening their own forces, and thus handicap ing themselves.
 Benj. c. Marsh, secretary of the Farmers National council, for in- stance testified that these farm fnreaus' had cost the farmers more the preceding year 1920) than they (the farmers) will save the next 10 uaarc