Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-12-25
Organized Farmers Re
fuse to Follow Advice
Given BY Coolidge
BY JOSEPH A. WISE
T Correspondent, International
Labor News SerVice.l

BY JOSEPH A. WISE
(Staff Correspondent, International
Labor News Setyice.)
Chicago, Dec. 22.-Political leaders
hire are of the opinion that President
Coolidge gained little and lost much by
coming TO Chicago to address the sew
enth annual convention of the Amer
lean Farm Bureau Federation.
Election of officers for the ensuing
two years and the character of the
resolutions adopted following the de-
parture of President Coolidge indi-
cate that his address influenced the
cnvention only in a small degree if at
all.
Farmers Advised to Try Cooperation
President Coolidge told the assem-
bled delegates from 80 states and the
several tousand farmer. visitors that
their salvation lay in cooperative
marketing. He frowned upon Govern
ment price fixing and indicated that
he was opposed to Federal creation
of an export corporation for tie DISPOSE
tion of surplus farm prduets. The
president was listened to respectful
ly, but rather coldly, only being able
to elicit perfunctory applause a few
times.
Two days after President Coolidge's
departure from Chicago the conven-
ton electe dofficers and acted upon the
report of the resolutions committee.
Sam II. Thompson, owner of a 800
acre farm near Quincy, Ill.,. was elect
ed president, defeating Oscar L. Brad
flute of Xenia, Ohio, who had held
the office for the last three years.
New President Opposes Coolidge.
Bradfute had praised President
Goolidge's address in interviews with
the reporters, while Thompson had Ia
ken sharp issue with the Presidents
views. Thompson said:
The president in his address re-
fere dto, but failed to recognize ade-
quately, the paramount problem before
the great surplus producing states,
whic his the disposition Of that sur
plus in a way that will not hold domes-
tic markets permanently to world price
levels with resultant damage to Am
elican farm living standards.
''ln taking up the surplus problem,
the President consciously or uncon-
sciously assumed the responsibility of
dealing with it"
Convention Calls for Federal Aid.
Following installation Of the newly
elected officers, the report of the res
olutions committee was taken up, and
the convention further demonstrated
its disagreement with President Cool
idge by unanimously voting for
resolution calling for federal aid in
the establishment Of a farmers export
corporation. The resolution follows:
1--WE endorse the enactment of a
Federal law based on the principle of
a farmers export corporation, provid-
ing for the creation of an agency with
broad powers for the purpose of so
handling the surplus of farm crops
that the American producer may re-
ceive an American price in the do
nestle market and we instruct our
officers and representatives to work
for the enactment of such law,
| founded on sound economic policies
and not involving government subsi-
/ dy"
/ The McNary-Haugan bill is not
mentioned in the resolution. nor was it
referred to in the debate. Interviews
/ by International Labor News Service
with delegates indicate that the farm
ers have modified their views in ref
erence to the McNary- Haugen bill.
They said that what they want now
/ is to have the Federal government in
/ augurate the export corporation at
Government expense and later turn
it over TO the farmers. but under gov
! eminent supervision, afte rit has been
established as a going concern.
DO Not Seek Federal Subsidy
T delegates interviewed further
said that they did not seek a subsidy
and that the purpose was To return 20
the government any money it may ex-
pend in creating the export corpora
/ ten.
4 companion resolution TO the one
ON the export corporation favored the
fstering OF an American merchant
marine in order to establish foreign
trade routes for the disposition Of
surplus American products.
! Although diSagreeing with Presi-
dent Coolidge's view in the main, the
convention went on record as being
heartily in favor of cooperative mar
! keting. 1t seemed to be the view,
i however that cooperative marketing
could only meet the domestic situa-
ton in part.
Still Fight Child Labor Amendment
A resolution which was passed by
the convention and which received
scant mention in the daily newspapers
E L.. =