The Connecticut labor news., 1922-02-03
Out of 45O Present at Harding's Invitation Less Than 100 Are Actual Farmers, But Rest Runs Things to Suit Themselves.

inc farmers out of total member ship of 45o, the Agricultural Confer ence summoned by President liar ding through Secretary of Agricul- ture Wallace went on record III the closing moments of its existence m favor of wage reduction.
 There was in the conference an overwhelming majority of represen- tatives of big business, scattering minority of actual farmers and single representative of the trade union movement, Samuel Gompers.
 From the opening day of the con ference it became clear that the rep resentatives of investment capital, of powerful industrial combinations, of railroads, and of big business in gen eral were determined to put through a recommendation in favor of wage reductions for industrial workers.
 The little minority composed of President Gompers, most of the actual farmers and one or two other delegates possessed of wisdom and vision battled successfully against overwhelming odds until the after noon of the day on which the con- ference adjourned.
 The final onslaught of the big business anti-Labor coalition came at a time when the conference was worn out with long sessions with the re- suit that recommendation which had been repeatedly defeated in commit tees and on the floor was driven through. The recommendation of the conference covering wage reduction was contained in the report of the Committee on Transportation and was as follows:
 "In conclusion, we insist that the railroad corporations and railroad la bor should share in the dehation in charges no waffecting all industries. This is essential to the restoration of normal conditions in agriculture and 1t is essential to the welfaTe of the entire community We earnestly ap- peal to those in authority to take SuCA dClIOu dS Hay OC uCSCSSdly HI order to accomplish that result"
 To make clear the tremendous ef- fort put forth to place the Agricul tural Conference on record as being in favor of wage reductions there are here quoted extracts from the reports of six separate committees each in one form or another demanding re- duction of wages /
 From revised report of Committee | on Costs, Prices and Adjustments, as adopted by National Agricultural | Conference (Committee No. 5:
 There can be no restoration of na- tional prosperity until both wages | and capital which enter into the pro- duction of the commodities which the | farmer buys bear their mutual and | just share in the general process of | readjustment"
 From report of Sub Committee 5-A l of Committee on Costs, Prices and l Readjustments of National Agricul- l tural Conference; in the Cotton Belt: |
 Your committee would like to call | your attention to the fact that a very high return for labor in the railroad, coal mining, building trades, and oth- CT industries, has a very definite ef- feet in the cost of production for cot ton and is factor in keeping wages and returns in the cotton industry at its present scandalously low level"
 From report of Sub Committee 5-B of Committee on Costs, Prices, and Readjustments of National Agricul- tural Conference; in the Wheat Reg ions:
 There should be an immediate and substantial reduction in railroad rates, the present high cost of which is one of the most grievous burdens of the agricultural industry. The chief item in the cost of transportation doubt less is railway labor wages, which should be reduced proportionately as railroad rates are reduced"
 From report of Subcommittee sc of Committee on Costs, Prices, and Readjustments of National Agricul- | tural Conference; Costs, Prices and Readjustments in the Corn Belt:
 "One of the greatest needs of the corn-belt farmers is reduced tran sportation costs. To accomplish this end, we recommend (a) the immedi- 1 ate repeal or amendment of the Adamson law covering the national agreements, the savings thus effected ] to be immediately reflected in reduc- ton of freight rates; (b) the repeal of the guarantee clause of the Esch- Cummins law; (c) the improvement l of farm-to-market roads; and (d) the , development of inland waterways, 1