The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-03-23
TOWNLEY LAUNCHES
NEW ORGANIZATION
OF FARM PRODUCERS


enable them to have something tC
say about market prices was launched
by A. G. Townley at confereA.
farmer leaders OF the Northwest be-
ing held in Minneapolis.
The National Producers Alliance is
the name chosen for the new organi-
zation. Townley plans to begin organi-
zation at once in eight states with a
goal of more than quarter million
farmer members, before it is time to
send the 1923 crops to market.
A. Q. Townley is well known as the
organizer OF the Nonpartisan League,
with which he has been actively con-
nected for the last seven years. He
spent considerable time in his address
to the conference, however, to ex-
plain that the new organization should
be entirely distinct from the League
and should be divorced completely
from politics of any kind. But he
holds that the Nonpartisan League
must carry on" as usual and that
there is just as great need now as
ever for political action by farmers.
According to the articles of asso-
citation, the farmers will be organized
into precinct units to report amounts
Of different products raised and the
cost OF production of each product
Reports Of the precenict units will
be compiled at national headquarters.
The organization and its members
will use all available and legal means
to secure fair prices for what they
raise.
An initial membership fee of $500
is to be charged and thereafter quar-
terly dues of $100, half of which is
to remain with the precinct unit.
The precinct unit is chosen as the |
local unit because townships vary so
widely in farm population.
According to announcements of the /
conference, the new organization is
the farmer answer to the refusal OF
congress to fix grain prices, as Town
ley has been urging for year and a
half.
Conference leaders also declared
that no investments by farmers in
marketing agencies are contemplated
but members will be free to support
such cooperative or private marketing
agencies as they see fit.
The national committee of the new
as elected by the farm
ers' meeting Friday night and an
noGnced today, follows:
N. K. Wicks, Brantford, North Da-
kota.
Dan Eliason, Crooks, South Dakota
Herman Meyers, Hooper, Nebraska. \
G. j. Diederich, Seldom, Kansas.
o. S. Eynas, Neosha, Missouri.
L. j. Kalvig, Kanawha, Iowa.
Louis Larson, Harris, Minnesota.
w. L. Andrews, Geneseok, Illinois.
Arthur T. Harvey, Billings, Montana
T. L. Crews, Eureka Springs, Ar
KANSAS. .
o. M. Tronaas, Boise, Idaho.
D. F. Hollywood, Arapahoe, Colo {
ado. +
When asked to comment on the new
Ian of direct economic action, Mr. [
'ownley said: l
THE farmers want pay for their {
rork. They know that organization is
ne way to get it. The demand for
overnment sterilization in grain 4
rices, which we started in the latter
art Of 1921, has greatly increased
leir feeling on the matter.
Il am glad to see that nearly all the
usiness interests of the Northwest
5 well as farmers and organized
orkers have gotten behind the sta
lization plan. But the Northwest is
lily a part of the Union and congress
fuses to act. n
I'VE may not have majority voice Il
congress but we do have majority n
wheat, flax, oats and corn, if we n
e willing to take the trouble to or N
lnize it. III
THE ruin which we predicted I'M III
SIS the farmers income were re- III
ored by emergency legislation, has III
me to pass. We must now set our III
Ives to the task of saving what is Ri
TT. Even if congress should provide III
nergency price legislation now, n
ere would continue to be great need
r an economic organization to give
EN- something to say about prices.
Nearly all the other classes of So
ETY. admit that the farmer is entitled
cost of production plus a reason
lie profit. They also admit that the
rmers must have this much if the Ii
her classes depending upon him for
market are to be prosperous. Only
ose profiteering by wide margins \
teen farm producer and consumer
Il be opposed to farmers organizing
demand their due of marketing in
'ests.
The National Producers alliance
Il get cost of production reports di- liz
It from the farmers precinct units.
will compile and average these re-