The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-04-27
FARMERS y1ON
EXPLAINS ITSELF
EXECUTIVE ASSERTS ORGANIZA-
TON is WORKING FOR GOOD
OF CITY AND FARM
FARM BUREAU IS SAVING SITUATION
A Defensive Mobilization Of Farm
Owners Seeking What City
Already Enjoys
BY j. w. Cloverdale
Secretary American Farm Bureau

Federation
Editors Note-J. w. Cloverdale is
secretary of the American Farm Blu
reau Federation, an organization that
seems to be a combination of an agri-
cultural union and farm board of com
merce. After one has read his article
one may do some thinking on a line
very different than the one suggested
by the daily Washington stories of the
agricultural Bloc" Mr.. Cloverdale
seems to know what he is talking
about and there is a strong suspic-
ion that his words are not all propa-
ganda for the farmer, either.
Organized America looks at organ
izing agriculture and says a bit of
fendedly, "Oh, SO you're doing it too
The two-thirds of America seems to
resent the adoption by the other third
of the tactics of the majority. 1t is
interesting that in this county Of Fire
Fighters leagues, Restaurant En-
ployee's alliances, Organized Window
Washers, Wall Street solidarity, Club
Federations, Engineering Brother
hoods, Political Party devotion, Steel
corporations, JanitorS' unions, Labor
strikes, Bankers associations, Won.
ems rights, Manufacturers Blocs and
Undertakers' agreements, the advent
of organized agriculture into the strug.
gle for self-preservatiOn should ever
cause a ripple on the pond.
But as quiet and conservative and
as sane as the defensive mobilization
of farmers has been, a surprising
amount Of the world is informed-ii
not on the reasons, the necessity, and
justice Of it, upon the fact that the
toilers of the soil are uniting. The
greatest agricultural organization, the
farm bureau movement, has a million
and a half farmer-members working
the union who invite the questioners
to come in and scrutinize. Perhaps
hat is what has caused the Interest
this unusual openhouse policy.
Another interesting phenomena is
the fact that each industry and class
breaches within it's own ranks the
efficiency Of organization as a posi-
tive cure for all economic and govern
mental ills, but firmly believes that
organization in other classes is really
responsible for the difficulties that be
set the country.
Organization has met organization
clashed, clinched and compromised
When the break came in 1920 after
capital had raised the prices on com
modities and labor had raised its
wages and capital had let the public
a for the same and labor ha:
raised again, it was the unarmore(
farmer, really quite an innocent by
stander at that time, who got a thrust
in the ribs from both swords. AnC
both capital and labor are beginning
to pay for the deed.
All industries are paying, or having
to pay in the reactionary ~financia
wave-due to the absence of purchas
ing power with 55 per cent of the pop
ulation for the farmers u~nprepared
ness. Prices would have lowered
more normally had the farmer beer
braced for the lancing.
The great American city bootblacl
who pays $500 a month to belong to
union which dictates whether or no
ha shall china chnnc whom an1 70
what price, and whose knowledge o
farm life has been gained from popu
lar songs, slaps a rag across you
calfskin (Which brought the cattl,
breeder Is cents and the shoe deale.
$3) answers your question about or
ganized agriculture with a wisdom
born of ignorance and says enviousl,
Sure, the farmers are all rich-lool
what food is worth" Whereupon j
you happen to be a produce man yo'
explain righteously that you onl.
make a CEN or W on a sale and tina
YOU have to have something for you
services. If a farmer is getting hi
shoes shined he signs YEARLY an,
says that 1t is the produce dealers
associations that are responsible
Statistics are on the farmers side
they show that the prices on the prod
ucts he sells are only Is per cen
higher than the 1913-before-the-wa
times, prices, while the food that /
available to the consumer is 80 pc
cen or three times as high.
The dry-goods storekeeper who be
longs to the retailers union and mel
cantiler's association, ETC., and run
his business according to rules lai
down by the other city merchants
reads a column or two concerning tn
much-heralded Agricultural Bloc an
wonders virtuously how long the pull
lie is going to stand for what h
tarms ~"clasa 1opiSlation Tot n n