The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-15


to, they prefer that the other side
does SO. 1t is safer from vote
getting standpoint.
l. i. T.
If there is anything more ridiculous
than a politician trying to relieve
the farmey, it is the farmer who
thinks a politician can be depended
on to do it.
Speaking as one who thinks the
farmer is entitled to relief, who re-
CARDS him as ignored, mistreated
and film .hammed beyond any class
OF people in this country, advice is
that he take a tip from labor.
Fifty years ago the average labor
er, even though following a skilled
trade, was in much more worse
shape the average farmer.
didn't get such good pay, didn't live
so well. didn't have so much spare
change.
Today he is way ahead and there's
a reason.
Il T. i.
Just before John L. Sullivan he.
came our national hero, labor woke
up to the poorly paid part it was
playing.
Some thought labor should enter
politics with a whoop change the
Government If necessary and look
to the law for relief but wiser
leadership prevailed.
Instead Of going to Washington
with a lot Of half baked schemes for
Congress to null over and then
throw in the waste basket, labor or
gained it didn't organize as
class either, but. according to trade
1t developed control Of its own af-
fairs by starting With the things
1t knew.
The plumbers. for instance. didn t
go out for general reform but talked
straight to the boss about wages,
hours and working condition.
This put them on a practical, in
telligent bases right at the outset.
j. T. j.
II labor had chased the idea of
forming party. had visualized it,
self as a clique without reference to
trade or trade interest, had demand.
ed & remedy before it knew what
allied it or where the remedy would
work, It would have gotten nowhere
Labor developed its program from
the ground up, began with the prob
lem In the workshop, or educated
itself. learned through experience
what 1t could do on it's own motion
and when 1t went to the States, or
the Nation for assistance, 1t went
with an intelligent understanding Of
what was needed.
/. i. j.
/ don't think the farmers can hope
for effective relief until they adopt
a similar method.
! think their first move should be
to organize on the ground, just as
labor did In the shop and according
to product just as labor did accord
ing to trade.
When there Is nationwide dairy
ing association that knows It's
problems and is agreed on measures
for their solution and a wheat grow
ers association, a cotton raisers as.
ISOLATION etc, then the farmers will
be in a position to form a federation
like that of labor and make work
even more effectively.
i. i.
Organization is the secret Of
modern business success, the secret
of popular education. the secret Of
effective relic for the sick, the re
lief of ,abor's improved condition
the secret of about everything that
makes this age different and better
than any that has preceded 1t.
knowledge has grown too vast
and life too complicated for Aen to
take proper advantage OF them, ex-
cept through organized effort
Nvoh as we may deplore tris
state Of affairs, much as we may
siP'' for ne good old days when
granddad was his own laborer and
capitalist. his own horse doctor ard
wheelwright. we might well ad.
init facts and face the music.
The very science that increased
production, the very inventions that
have made life so comfortable, hsvA
brought with them the necessity for
CO. peration.
!. j. +
The farmers chief difficulty, as
see it. lies in the fact that he has
tried to remain an independent
Instead of retaining his rights he
Instead of retaining hi srights he
is lowering them; instead OF standing
L. 1t