The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-02-02
WASHINGTON NEWS
LETTER
By PARKER LA MOORE


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In the agricultural conference just
ended North Dakota men played a
leading part in conference debates and
in committee work. John N. Hagan,
of Deering, described the plight of
the Northwestern growers in vivid
style in his opening address as the
spokesman for the wheat belt.
E. B. Page, of Leeds, took the floor
on the second day advocating the re-
vival of the United States Grain Cor
poration, coupled with a guaranteed
price for wheat. The marketing COM
mittee, however, in it's report, side
stepped the price-fixing proposal,
adopting resolution calling on the
President and Congress to take steps
to bring about fair exchange value
for farm products.
J. C. Wanamaker, president of the
American Cotton association, sup
ported by John M. Anderson of St.
Paul, endeavored to have adopted an
amendment calling for rehabilitation"
which in effect would have been an
endorsement of price fixing, but fail
ed.
The conference did however, recon-
subject by Congress and thus the way
pushed without the previous disap-
proval of the farm conference.
Representative Young, in a recent
speech in the House, declared for i'm
mediate relief, either in form of
governmental price-fxing, or some
other equally drastic and effective al
tentative. Congressman Sinclair,
author of price-tixing bill, has taken
similar position, and while he is
not at all confident that his PROPOSE
ton will meet with general favor he
believes, in common with many others,
that Congress may yet be forced to
accept his bill in principle for want
Of some relief legislation which will
assure the farmer of a living-wage
for his efforts.
The conference also adopted resolu-
tions commencing the work of the
agricultural bloc in the House and
Senate.
It is interesting to note that this
so-called bloc had sometime previously
gone on record in favor Of all of the
high points adopted in the conference
reports, while individual members Of
the farm group in Congress have even
gone step or two farther, as in the
case Of the price-fixing proposition.
Cooperative marketing bills have al
ready been advanced by Senators
Capper and McCumber in the Senate,
and by Representative Volstead in the
House.
Congressman Young has had bill
in committee calling for the establish
ment Of system Of reporting foreign
markets in the past two congresses.
Representatives Sinclair Of North
Dakota, and Christopherson of South
Dakota, have both introduced price
fixing bills. -..,...
The Young emergency tariff law has
given agriculture "the same measure
of protection accorded labor and cap
ital in other industries, and the farm
bloc will fight to keep, the status quo
IN the permanent bill.
The Great Lakes-St Lawrence river
project has had the momentum of the
farm bloc behind it since it's incep-
ton.
The meeting of the conference in
Washington had certain publicity
value in that it has tended to present
the plight Of the farmer to the rest
vertable fashion but in the months to
come the farm bloc must still keep
it's shoulder to the wheel, for chunks
of votes and not resolutions by confer
ences give to congressional legislation
the necessary momentum.
The meeting Of the "best minds"
should also have had the effect Of
leading toward better general I'M
derstanding Of the national situation.
Nothing has occurred, however,
since the adjournment of the confer
ence to evidence any change of heart
supon the part of those statesmen who
see in the farm bloc a menace to peace
and prosperity.
| Home folks out West will doubtless
flock to hear and see campaigning
congressman this summer as never
before. Nearly everyone of them has
had more or less to do with the no
torious "bloc". People in the East,
reminded of those other "embattled
farmers who. fired the short heard
round the world "shudder at this lat
est combination, and look for Bolshe-
vism to come galloping along. Few
York City papers have given the farm
congressman everything but horns and
the returning statesmen ought to be
we'll worth seeing when they are home
for their next endorsement.
A national system of cooperative
marketing Of farm products would be
established under bill introduced by
Senator McCumber, North Dakota, as
a substitute for the pending Capper-
| Volstead bill. The McCumber bill,
according to the North Dakota SEN
ator, would be more comprehensive
than any of the measures yet pro-
posed, and go far toward the solution
of the farm marketing problem.
In his speech before the Senate Mr..
McCumber stated that there are three
main causes for the present suffer-
ing of the agricultural class:
First. The general depression
throughout the world.
Second. The over-production Of
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