The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-07-03


farmer vote of the west to Wall Streets Al Smith
This was divided, we understand, satisfactorily
among the "leaders." Now that the split has
Cured we have two panhandlers instead of
one Republican and Democrat, whether the
net proceeds will be greater or less than before
remains to be seen. The split is of consequence
at all to the farmer except in so far it saves
TO well expose Kicker and his outfit as a. bunch
of Republican pap suckers, which annoys them
somewhat.
To divert attention from these facts Kicker
kicks up clouds of dust to hide them from the
members of the Farmers Union of the northwest
who not so wild about the G. o. P. or the Farm
Board.
John Simpson of Oklahoma, critic of the Farm
Board, was elected president of the Union at tho
national convention at St. Paul last January, de-
feating Pres. Huff, ardent Farm Board supporter
and appolOgist, in a fight on the issue. The st
Paul cooperatives led by Kicker and payroll func-
tionaries, at that time formed a northwest COM
mittee, acting within the union, of those state
ion organizations under their control to support the
Farm Board, and elected Huff chairman of its ex-
ecutive cmmittee. Huff was at the time, as now,
president of the National Grain Corporation, a
sales agency set up by the Farm Board to handle
grain coming to 1t thru the co-operatives it was
backing, the largest stakeholder of which is the
Farmers Union Terminal Association of st. Paul.
This move was the fore runner Of other splits of
which the Corn Belt Federation is the second and
the complete sundering of the Farmers Union will
be the third, unless the ST. Paul outfit is unhors-
ed before that occurs-which may easily happen
At the Corn Belt convention Pres. Simpson led
the position to the Farm Board, and the battle
IS on now to determine whether the st. Paul bust
ness outfit or the non business elements of the
Farmers Union is TO dominate the union; or wheth-
er the payroll element supporting the Farm Board
and Hoover and the Republican party or the crit
les of the Farm Board are to rule.
A. w. Kicker usual is confusing the Union
membership by making it appear that the fight
is between those defending the marketing act and
those opposing it, instead of those supporting and
crltlcizng the Farm Board which is two entirely
olT1erent things. 1t is characteristic of Kicker
and his tactics. He obscures the real ISSUE which
is, whether the Farmers Union of the northwest
will justify the Farm Board and line up for HoOv-
er and the republican party for "penty of money"
for the ST. Paul co-operatives guaranteeing fat
salaries for executives during these hard times
money to pay for dinners at the swell Minnesota
Club-Or whether it will not
The columns of the Herald are full of "defense
OF the Marketing Act" which is only fought bv
the grain dealers, gamblers, and the chambers of
commerce which are opposed to any legislation for
the DEMENT'S OF either the farmers or the workers
! hlcker' Tor his purposes, makes it appear that
those who criticize the Farm Board are identical
with those who oppose The marketing act. Thus
ne puts the critics of the Farm Board on an en-
trely false position and confuses the membership
OF the Union who are naturally for the Marketing
Act and thus leads them in support of it into the
Republican party, besides Maintaining his grour
control of the organization
John Simpson is not now, nnr has he been de-
nounclng or opposing the marketing act. He sup
p"ftS IL and wants to amend it and make it effect
Ne-make 1t accomplish what it meant to ac
crnplish if that be possible, which, however we
don't believe is possible in the frame of capitalism
Nobody knows this better than Kicker. What
Simpson has done and is doing, is denouncing anG
exposing the betrayal, the wantOn and designed
betrayal of the Marketing Act and the Co-opera
tives and the farmers by the Farm Board appoint
ed by Hoover for that work, for the purpose Of
discrediting for all times the idea of governmental
aid for farmers, or for workers, as was done t.
the government ownership of railroads idea dur
ing government war time operation.
Simpson has accused the Farm Board of this be
trayal, and confronted it with the evidence Blu
A. w. Kicker ignores all the charges made al
the evidence presented by Simpson of this betray
al, and answers Simpson, not directly but indirect
y, by making it appear that he is attacking, alon
with the grain Dealers the marketing act itself
rather than the Farm Board and its administra
ton of the act.
By this tactic Kicker has confused a lot of farm
ers-but they are slowly seeing the light, an
when they do the clever intriguer, the unmitigate
faker, A. w. Kicker, a man with a most SAVIOR
cooperative record is going to get the boot an
the gate.
Kicker ends his long editorial by tins gem q
hypocritical sOphistry:
Very likely we all followed our convic-
lions in our decision. If this be true and
if both groups acted on principal and
conviction there is no justification for one
group questioning the motives or the hon
esty of The other"
Mr.. Kicker worries about the questioning of h
motives. He is always on the high plane of col
viction and principle. But his conviction is
blind that he can't the Farm Boards betrav
and his principles are so supple that there a
end OF his career cooperative savior of Il
farmers or anyone else.
Kicker was once connected with a co-operati,
wholesale and retail coal racket in the Twin Cti
If the facts of that swinde could be gotten b