Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1921-04-08
FARM UNION LABOR
(By Lewis Paullin

he driter has not reasoned
out all the angles Of the Farm Labor
Union of America which is being or.
gAnised in this county at the present
time, but we believe as an organiza-
ton II can be made success, except
for one fact and that is that It should
not be federated with the American
Federation of Labor.
TO save our lives we cannot see
in what way the farmers can be bene-
fitted by being connected with the
American Federation of Labor. Their
interests are certainly opposed to
each other and cannot be harmOnized
- we honestly view the matter.
In what way can the American
Federation of Labor help the farmer?
Can they give him better price for
his cotton, his oats, or his wheat?
Certainly not. for they DO not deal In
these commodities, they deal IN but
one merchantable article, and that is
labor. They aim to get all that La
Dor produces and II they get more
than Labor produces, they let the
other fellow look out for himself and
increase his prices. Take the matter
Of freight rates, they have been boost
ed so high that the buying public and
commercial world is staggering blind
with the weight Of the burden they
are carrying. There are more empty
freight cars at this time than have
>vor hnor In NUN IN tho hiat Orv ~ III q
country, while a few months back
there was tremendous shortage in
freight cars. To such an extent was
this shortage that nothing but neces-
stiles Of life, had the right Of way for
shipment, and all luxuries had to be
held until the freight congestion was
relieved.
Why have freight rates been boost
ed to succh an extent that business is
paralyzed? Simply TO pay the in
creased prices awarded the labor
used in making shipments of freight.
Labor 10 said to get 30 per cent Of ev-
cry dollar that is paid for freight.
Mr.. farmer you and have to pay
this freight every time we buy Q bill
Of goods or sell a bale Of cotton.
Then why should we federate with 9
body Of men who intend heapine
these burdens on our overloaded
backs, when they are powerless to re-
lieve our natural loads by lifting one
single atom?
The law of science says that oil
and water will not mix; neither can
you mix people in union whose aims
are opposed. Its to the farmers in.
terest to sell his produce at the high.
est price Obtainable and to buy hii
supplies as cheap as he can get them
It's to labor's interest to sell its time
at the highest price. Which he being
organized does, and you Mr.. farmer
pay 1t. when you buy machinery
Shoes. automobiles or calico. 1t II
also to labors interest to buy what
It consumes rs cheaply as possible
and you farmers are supplying hit
wants, with your wheat. corn. cotton
hides and wool, all sold for less thar
It cost you to produce 1t.
Again farmers as q class are Amer.
jcan citizens one hundred per CEN
and during the late war they exertet
every effort to make the world saft
for Democracy and to end the terri
BE war being waged in Europe. WHIT
was It that delivered an ultimatun
10 our government. when It was striv
Ing with might and main to sent
munitions, food, clothing and sup
plies to my boy and your boy over II
the trenches in France, stating tina
unless their demands for increased
wages we're met, that every whee
would cease to turn. and my boy ant
your boy would have to starve, freez'
and be shot because we could not &c
supplies to him? Who was it tina
held up the government every two O
three months after their first de
mand was met for an increase in pay