The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-19
Government and Farmers

The Senate has for the past few days been
engaged in debate on sundry farm rene1
measures. In the course of the discussion sew
eral senators, who have for many years been
serving the big anti-union textile and coal In
terests Of the South and the big manufacture
ing interests Of the North, declared that they
would fight to the bitter end any attempt TO
render the farmers economic help. OF course,
these Spokesman for the employers posed as
friends Of the farmers and insisted that they
were motivated solely by desire to save the
individual initiative of the farmer. They de-
clared themselves fatty opposed to all govern
mental interference" with the farmers
1t is rather strange that none of these sena-
tors shed tear about paternalism when big
bonuses are granted to corporations. More
than that. Not one of this phalanx that has
arrogated to itself the guardianship of the
farmers individuality protested against the
government interfering with the farmer during
the war. All one has to do to find out why
these senators did not care straw about the
farmers initiative during the war and why
they are shrieking now about the sanctlty OF
this supposed great American virtue is to ex-
anime the policies of the government towards
the farmers in war and peace.
When war was declared against Germany
the government Immediately issued a ukase
fixing the price of wheat The government
ordered that bushel of wheat must be sold at
ket price. While it was regulating downward
the price of wheat to be received by the
farmer, the government gave free hand to
the manufacturers and financiers to set prices
to suit their own fancies on industrial COM
modities. The fabulous profits coined by the
capitalists during the war are known to all.
When it suited our ruling class to call for
increased production of wheat it did not hest
tate to demand that the farmers drop all
plans for diversifcation and for rotation Of
crops. The interests of the capitalist class then
demanded the maximum production of wheat
Now, the same government speaking for the
same capitalist class is calling on the farmers
to practice diversfcation in order to stave off
their own ruin.
During the war when our capitalist inter-
ests were endangered and when the armies of
the allied imperialists were to be fed, the gov
eminent waged vigorous campaign to reduce
the domestic consumption of wheat Now
that the interests of the capitalist class de-
mand different policy the government is ap-
pealing for greater consumption of wheat
at home.
Thus has the government toyed with the
fate and security of the farmers. When the
market conditions were favorable to higher
price for wheat our capitalists forgot about
paternalism, interference with private initia-
tive and the sacred American characteristic of
individual incentive. The government did not
then hesitate to fix agricultural prices and fix
them downward. Today, when the world
market is unfavorable for our farmers, the
government is zealously concerned with the
individuality Of our bankrupt rural masses and
refuses to help them because that would mean
the unholy, un-American price fixing, govern
ment interference.
As long as the government of the United
States is owned and controlled by the indus
trial and financial magnates, by the capitalist
class, the farmers will be accorded no other
treatment.