The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-11-22

ministration leaders in constant
consultation with the President.
One of these, Walter H. Newton,
formerly Representative from
Minnesota and now Secretary to
Hoover, had at the time already
been appointed to his new position
and was already spending part of
his time in the White House, the
other part being devoted to guild
ing the bill on the floor of the
House. 1t is true that soon after
the bill was passed the President
was represented as being displeas-
ed with it, but it should be noted
that such intimations began to ap-
pear only after the press of the
country particularly the small
town press of the west had come
out in almost unanimous opposi-
ton to the bill.
Where Hoover Stands
To this day the President has
given no clear indication of his
stand. His last statement, how
ever, calling upon the Senate fac
tions to unite for the passage of
the bill, can leave no doubt as to
where he stands. He had been
called upon to make his position
clear, but a situation which de-
manded a clear and honest ex-
preston of view as between the
Big Business exploiters and the
producers of the nation, was
handled as if it were a fight be-
tween bad boys. One might ex-
cuse a great "Peace Maker" in a
controversy over marbles when he
says to those involved, irrespec-
tive of the merits of the case,
CHOW don't quarrel children, kiss
and make up" What excuse is
there for such an attitude in a
controversy involving the aspira-
lions and lives of thirty millions
of people? The simple fact is that
the Presidents concern throughout
has been for the interest of Big
Business for which he has become
the chief spokesman. His open
advocacy of that group has been
qualified only by political expedi-
ency.
Their program, Notwithstanding
their crocodile tears over the fate
of the individual farm home, is to
maintain agriculture as a colony
for industry, a source of cheap
raw materials and low paid labor
which can be drained into fac
tories. The debenture plan which
is regarded as a check to such a
process was opposed by Hoover.
The flexible tariff, most coveted
tool for maintaining the strangle-
hold of industry, is favored by the
President. Hoover's Farm Board
may not engage in buying and
holding wheat for a better price;
that would put the government in
business. Hoover is opposed to it;
it would hurt the grain gamblers.
But when there is the slightest
danger to Big Business, he is will
ing as is now the widely proclaim
ed purpose of the administration,
to launch government project in
volving hundreds of millions in the
construction of a merchant marine
and other public enterprises. If
several hundred millions of dollars
thrown into industry will by add
ing that much purchasing power
this is the facie theory of the
scheme-serve to stabilize pros
perity, why would not the opera
tIon of the Farm Board in wheat,
cotton, corn, livestock, etc., by |
adding several billions of dollars |
to the purchasing power of the
farmers serve even more definite |
ly to maintain prosperity
The Political Hokum
Well, everyone here knows why. |
Those who are informed at Wash !
ington understand pretty well the |
political hokum of this stabilizine
prosperity scheme. They know |
too that by such process the
profits of a certain section of the
exploiters can be kept at high lev
els, the steel interests, the shin
ming trust, the bankers who profit
from these industries. The scheme
will permit the buying off of the
so-called labor leaders and small
section of the building trades work
ers who might otherwise run out
of control.
But what of the forty millions
of producers in the United States