The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-05-17

preserving the individual farmer
maintaining the basic institution ~
American society, the farm home a+c
is the sheerest bunk. The administra'
ton contemplates the overflow Of
five million more farmers from +be
land during the next decade. (No won
der they are willing to keep up the
bars OF lmmigration.) This writer has
been told dozen times: eve used to
be foolish enough to import radical
foreign labor which gave us strikes
and labor troubles. From now ON we
import good, conservative farm bows
who will turn to for 20 years with
out murmur." This is the central
issue in the farm situation. Of course
there will be labor trouble, more than
they think, and from the ''conserva-
tive" farmers, but this is the program.
Against this current the so-called
farm representatives in congress have
been fighting, that is the few of them
who have even pretended to put up a
fight. At another time it may be prof
liable to disclose more in detail some
of their doings. Here it is necessary to
come to the present situation.
All methods of farm relief center
about the issue of raising the price of
the farmers product, equalization
fee, debenture plan, restriction of
production. Relief, means more and
better returns in money. But relief al
/ so means that the farmers stay On
the farms, that industrialization is
checked. The question was asked Of
/ Senator Fess, of Ohio, self constituted
economist for the administration fore
es: "DO you favor higher prices for
farm products 2" His answer was, mo,
can see no relief that way" Then,
I DO you favor restriction of produc-
tion?' Again he answered, ''No, that
also means higher prices" Finally he
was asked: eff the sterilization cor
poration by orderly marketing sue
ceeds in reducing middlemen's costs
and thus secures a higher price to the
farmer, according to your view this
/ should also lead to overproduction and
lower prices. Would this not operate
against even the present McNary bill
which you favor?" Sen. Fess smiled
sweetly without reply and without EN-
/ barassment.
"There amt no Santa Clause in the
! republican heaven and there amt no
farm relief. Yes, l hear someone say:
'Nor in the heaven of the democrats. ="
This writer can state authoritative
ly that new opposition is in the
process of formation between the
progressive bloc and some of the dem
ocrats. The coming fight on the tar
iff bill will tell the story whether any
thing can be expected of it even as a
gesture. Until recently it appeared
certain that the democrats would fall
to pieces each one seeking protection
for the new industries now growing
up in his state. This, of course, will
take place to a large degree. But
enough of an opposition may be left
to constitute a new alignment with
the western republicans. The break
between Hoover and Sen. Brookhart
which took place last week, in the
opinion of the writer, is a significant
sight of coming events. One need not
believe that the senator who cam.
paigned so religiously and foolishly
for his tin God last November has be
come a real leader of the farmers. But
in the absence of anv form of leader
shin or opposition in congress ever
such developments are worth watch
ing if only from the point of view
that out of them may lead to the rea
ALIGNMENT of the farmers and work
ing men which alone can solve thu
farm problem.