Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-11
LABOR AND POWER
CONDITIONS SCORED
BY SENATOR NORRIS
-
Nebraskan Paints Dark Pic
ture in Opening Conference
of Progressives Here.
DESCRIBES STARVATION
i, AND SLAVERY IN NATION
Use Of Money in Corrupting OFF,
Gals and New Tariff Raped
in Address.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Senator George w. Norris of Nebraska,
in q keynote speech at the opening of
the two-day Progressive conference at
the Carlton Hotel today, painted dark
picture OF conditions In the United
states and called upon the ProgressiVes
to find remedies.
The Nebraska Senator said that while
millions Of people ARE suffering from
hunger, an apparent oversupply of food
has been produced by the toiling
farmers, who are unable to obtain q
financial return sufHcient to compensate
them for the cost of production"
He described q condition of slavery"
In this country with labor l1anacled
by means Of, judicial DEGREES. He pic
tured the power trust" with its Shiny
fingers enmeshed in the warp and
woef of human life" Regulation, he
said, has failed because the regulators
are regulated by this monopolistic
trust
Scores Use Of Money.
"Inyestisations during the last few
shown that money Is the great cor
rupting influence of our political life:
Nv influences which are dark ana
devious, but always corrupt, attempts
are made In every election to Illustrate
the win of an honest electorate by buy
Ing seats In the United States Senate
and In controlling the election Of the
Chief MAGISTRATE Of our country. Unless
restrained, combinations OF wealth. WIZ
make it impossible for poor man 10
= elected to the National Congress,
The conference, called by q comnN-
tee Of I'VE Senators, headed oy Sena1oE
Norris, after listening 10 tne open I'M.
address of the Nebraska Senator, tac-
l-led the FIRST of the I'VE problems on
the agenda Of the conference.-the tarln.
T16e newly elected Democratic Senator
from Colorado, Edward p. Cosugan,
forrner United states tariff couamS"
sioner- presided over the conference
while this subject was under consioera-
tion. - a..
ference Is TO discuss ct 10 afternoon
meeting. beginning at las o'clock, under
the leadership OF Senator Boran o.
Idaho. a prepayment in the Lass Con-
syress Of the "debenture." Tonight Re-
turn to a Representative Government
viii occupy the attention OF the con-
ference, with Senator Cutting OF rev
Mexico, Republican, in the chair.
Questioned by watson.
ON the eve of the conference Senator
wataoTl of indiana, Republican leader
AZ the Senate, sent TO Senator MOTIFS
4 asulIestionnairep calling upon the con-
ference TO say where the ProgressiveS
stood on prohibition. Immigration, an
oil embargo and Q dozen other SUD-
jects. II was regarded by the FRO
grsasiyes g an attempt on tne PAT o.
the Republican leader to stir up trouble
FER tR1e conference. Whether any an
swer win be undertaken remains to be
seen. Many Of the subjects In the
QUESTIONABLE are controversial and
would be 50 in q Progressive or any
ether kind of meeting.
Senator Norris today in a character
isticaily biting manner suggested 10
Senator Watson that he take his ques-
uonnaire to the Republican organization
and remember that the PregresSiveS
we're not establishing a political party.
Senator Norris repeated the state"
ment made by the committee In charge
Of the conference thst there IS no pur-
pose to establish new politleaI party
or 10 further the candidacy OF any man
or set of men or to advance the inter-
ests of any political party.
I'VE desire" he said only to relieve
the distress of our fellow men and 90
what we can to place our Government
in all its branches on higher and
more efncient plane Of operation.
while millions Of our people are SUI
ferinE from hunger, an apparent over
supply of food has been produced py
the toiling farmers, who are unable 10
obtain a financial return SUFFICIENT 70
compensste them for the cost OF pro-
duction. In the midst of this alleged
overproduction of food produced 81
financial loss the consumer is required
to pay q price beyond the reach OF mil
lions Of our toiling masses. The farmer
gets too little and yet the consumer has
TO pay too much.
Hits New Tariff.
with many Of our textile mills idle
for the want of a market for their
products, uncounted thousands OF little
Children do not have clothing SUFFICIENT
TO keep them warm.
American agriculture, already suffer-
ing from a tariff which was too high on
most of the products the farmer had TO
buy, was given tariff by those who had
promised TO bring relief which was stu
higher and still more burdensome.
american labor, suffering from the
grinding evils of intunctive process, was
promised relief In the last national cam
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