The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-15
WHEN A BLOC
is NOT A BLOC

WORDS which Judson G.. Welliver, in the
Review of Reviews, uses to describe the
agricultural bloc.
The blocis interesting, says Mr.. Well
iver' because the name agricultural bloc"
was given to a something that did not
exist at that time it was named: ingenious
because 1t has accomplished we'll in the
face OF opposition. But is also ingenious.
because unHke other blocs at Washington in
previous years, the agricultural bloc has
worked in the open; the names of its men,
oers appear in front-page headlines: its
leaders have been frank in discussing the
motives which prompted them to cham
pion the cause of the farmers of the
United States.
Gray Silver, Washington representative
OF the American Farm Bureau Federation.
is given the credit for anticipating the
present conditions at a time when the gen.
eral agricultural depression was mo- SO
generally realized as now, and of regulating
the hrst action to help matters. Mr..
Silver, according to Mr.. Welliver, sug.
gested a conference last spring of a few
Senators from the farm states to discuss
the trend OF affairs. There were present
Senator's Kenyon Gowa), Capper (Kansas),
Cooling Idaho, McNary (Oregon),
LaFollette wis.,, LAID IN. d., Norris
Nebr.), HENDRIX (Wyo.), Fletcher (Fla.),
Sheppard Texas), Hehin (Ala, }, and a few
others.
No Secret Meetings.
Meetings followed meetings but at no
TIM were there more than TWENTY-FIVE
Senators present. The meetings were
never secret; indeed, an effort was made
to interest as many legislators as possible
because support was wanted. Everyone
knew that these Senators were meeting in
an effort to obtain all the information per-
tanning to the situation and to develop
some legislative program that would
anticipate forthcoming depression.
The bloc members have thrived on the
opposition. Adverse criticism convinces
them that the bloc is working for some
things that some persons do not want
and that is proof that the bloc has at least
some few worthwhile qualifications.
These men began to assert themselves in
July. 1921, when they opposed the adj
journment OF the special session of Con-
gress, the members have been active in
several undertakings that have kept the
newspapers filled with news and the air
charged with propaganda charging that
the agricultural bloc is out to wreck the
party in power.
Restored Finance Corporation.
BY defeating the adjournment Of the
special session the bloc secured the passage
Of the measure which restored the War
Finance Corporation to functioning at q
time when it did the most good.
The refusal to adjourn also enabled the
passage Of the packers" bill which regu-
lated the meat-packing industry to the
farre-s' interest. Theee we're TIE first
two eGnite steps which have been follow
ed by other and increasingly important
legislative measures which are of benefit
t o the farmer.
Not a Bloc.
Zone gathers that the agricultural bloc
is really no bloc at ALL" says Mr.. Welliver
in the Review Of Reviews, "but that the
name has been rather misapplied to a
group Of Senators and Congressman,
Republicans and Democrats alike, from
states predominantly agricultural; acting
pretty generally together in support Of
measures favored by, and in opposition to
treasures opposed by, their constituencies;
rather eschewing discipline, and disposed
to ignore party leadership and ~organiza-
ton: determined to get what they want,
WREN they wan it, and not to take what
they do not want, no matter who urges it:
as nearly radical" as anything is our
sombre-hued congressional politics ever
gets; and extreme left" not because it 10
extreme but because it's the EXTREMIST
there is, whose members, tired Of being
steam-rollered. have gone st~eam-rollering.
Flavor this recipe with a strong spice Of
the soil; recognize the fact that the bloc
represents agriculture in a time when il is
passing through the most acute crisis it
has ever known, at least since the panic of
1887; concede that party affiliations every
where are very much ropes of sand nova
days-and you will get pretty close to
what the agricultural bloc is about"