The Washington herald., 1921-04-22
ACRICULTURISTS
AIR GRIEVANCES
BEFORE HARDING
National Farmers Union
Seeks Solution to -
Farm Problems.
BODY is ASSURED
President Tells Delegation the
Work in Question Is Be-
ing Carried on Steadily.

The National Farmers Union and
other agricultural interests have
4 laid before President Harding
through representatives here. the
following coptentions:
THAT frozen credits" and AL
most prohibitive freight rates have
forced farmers to let "millions Of
tons" of grain rnt in the fields and
barns. ...-r
+That as a result Of this 5itua-
tion scores Of thousands of chill
dren" in the cities of the country are
unable to get the proper food to
nourish their bodies .-..
3-That farmers are "overwheim-
ed with debt and unable to sell
their products except at loss.
4-That they are unable to buy
fertilizer.
5-That they are victims of a
misused economic system" brought
about by "short-sighted and selfish
interests
6-That the farmers wish to take u
rosition beside the steel, oil. finance,
coal, lumber, labos and railroad In
terests to work out some plan Ter
bettering conditions. ..-
THAT President Harding should
|
leaders in all these interests. that
measures for working together to-
ward a common end may be e.
fected.
President Assures Them.
And President Harding. hearing
this appeal, backed by some 400
farmers and 70 representatives and
senators. who appeared before him
personally yesterday, assured the
crowd that the administration was
seriously and steadily working on
an adequate solution of the prob
lem
There probably never has been a
time when the farmer cause has
commanded the recognition before
the government that 1t is receiving
today. And-the power of the farm
er movement and the official belief
in the Justice Of its complaint prob
ably could not be better illustrated
than it was at the meeting with
Harding.
Representative Campbell. Kan.
made an appointment with Harding
for a small representative body or
farmers to present their memorial.
The news of this conference spread
rapidly through the Capital and
among farmers here, representing
different interests. but all looking
to relief. By noon, a half hour be-
fore Campbelrs delegation was to
see the President. it had been aus
mented by 800 farmers, and nearly
100 leading Representatives and
Senators, anxious to show both to
their constituents and to the Presl-
dent their support of the cause in
question.
Representatives Present.
From Severy agricultural State
south. forth, west and east-mem-
bers Of Congress came. one to about
every four farmers, dressed in their
best and earnestly eXpostulatinS
their sympathy with each and every
complaint the farmers had The
executive office. overwhelmed by the
unexpected size of the delegation,
had to send it out into the rear
yard of the White House. President
Harding, already far behind in his
appointment schedule, greeted the
men and then left them momentar-
lily to briefly dispose of other en-
Kaxements. His luncheon hour came
and passed. He heard their appeal
and made a response which satisfied
them. He did not indicate whether
he would call the conference asked.
but assured them he would take 1t
under advisement.
To hear the speeches of the farm
ers and their Congressional repre-
ssntatives and to make the neces-
sary reply Harding was forced to
forego luncheon for an hour. The
whole event constituted an extraor-
dinary tribute to the increasing
force the farmer movement is WELD
ing in governmental affairs