The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-01-27
FARM POLICY
ON EUROPE is
BIG SURPRISE
Suggestion America be Repre-
sented at Genoa Important
Development = Gettin g
Away From Isolation.
HARDING TAKES DIG
BY MARK SULLIVAN


of the first days session, which did
not consume a minute of time, but
since then has taken up good many
hundred hours of individual discussion
among the delegates. 1t was in Hard
ing's opening speech. The speech
has been prepared in advance and
Harding was reading it word by word.
He came to the point where his writ
ten speech said: THE whole country
has an acute concern with the condi-
lions and problems you are met TO
consider 1t is truly national inter-
est. and not to be regarded as primar-
lily the concern of class or a section.
Harding read these words, and then
raised his eyes from the manuscript,
and, looking out over the audience with
an air of determined disapproval, add
ed the three words, cor bloc.
This thrust at the farm bloc in con-
gress is expressive of what seems TO
be Harding's attitude towards it. He
had read a series of recommendations
for legislation which was thoroughly
agreeable to the farmers, and included
most of what they are demanding, and
then he took this dig at the agency
through which the farmers are trying
10 bring their demands about
Similar Action
Harding had done a similar thing
in his speech at the opening OF con-
gress last month. That address TO con-
eress contained a series of recommen-
1ations of progressive meaure in the
Interest of the farmer, but at the same
time Harding gave slap on the wrist
.li- tptt trngr ~ artV
solidarity. 1t is clear that Harding
believes in far-reaching measures in
aid of the farmers, but that he wants
TO hold to party government and the
maintenance of party discipline.
The bulk of the informal personal
discussion of what Harding did on
the opening day centered about the
question whether the conference In
it's resolutions should or should not
indorse the farm bloc by name. They
wanted to indorse the program that
Harding laid down, and they wanted
to indorse Harding's action in calling
the conference and tlEsnk him for 1t,
hut when it came to indorsing the
farm bloc by name there were several
days of acrimonious discussion before
they could get to it.
There was never much doubt that
the American Farm Bureau federation
which was probably the strongest SIN
gle element in the conference, wanted
to do it, and could do it, il they
thought it advisable.
"Steam Roller Charges
The second cause of insurgency
within the conference hangs about the
method by which it was organized. A
meeting like this can be organized
from the chair or from the floor.
This one was organized from the
chair.
The dominating personnel of the
committee appears to have been PICK
ed in advance.
It is probably fair to say that in
fixing it there was certain amount
of attention to putting a silencer on the
more radical and the more irrespon-
sible persons who might turn up.
This is largely what has led to the
Mark Hanna Dominations," and the
complaint of steam roller methods,
like.
Nevertheless, the American Farm
bureau federation, which is by far the
biggest and most compact OF the
farm organizations, and which is the
chief hacker of the farm bloc in con
gress. is in pretty complete harmony
run.
One of the minor connections has
arisen out of the suggestion in some
quarters of the conference to advo
cate as a part of the machinery tol
reducing freight rates. a reduction III
the wages of railroad labor.
Gompers Explodes.
Such suggestion naturally sends
Samuel Gompers and other represen
, tatiyes of organized labor up in the
J air. II illustrates the difficulties in
berent in conference which aims
to include not only the farmer, bu
also the other industries. and tht
other elements in the community who
are concerned with the situation IL
its broader sense.
The farmer wants freight rates re
duced. 1t is almost Indispensable t
them. When the railroad manager:
say they can reduce freight rates i
they can first reduce wages the farm
ers are sympathetic. The farmer, il
his overalls. sees the railroad con
ductor as a brass s-buttoned autocra
who has regular hours of work, witt
secure lifetime job and salar!
which from the point of view of th'
farmer at the present time look
princely.
In the largest sense, one of th
most interesting and important de
velopments of the conference is th'
support for the suggestion that Amer
lea should be fully represented at tn
Genoa conference and in general
decided sympathy toward greater pal
ticipation on the part of America il
European affairs.
Obvious Approval.
One speaker got obvious approya
when he said that America ought t
be fully represented on the repara
tions COMMISSION. The president G
the ifty-million-dollar Farmers Equ
" Cooperative Exchange OF st. Pau
said in his speech, Europe owes u
ten billions of dollars. | believe tha
l. Uncle Sam should be represente
;, there; and if ! had that much con
ing, and if you had that much con
ing from a bunch OF debtors, and thos
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