Evening star., 1932-11-05
BIG VOTE EXPECTED
FROM FARM CLASS
"BattIe of Ballots" ForeSeen
as Lure to Huge Number
Interested in Agriculture.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
With indications pointing to an all
time record vote on November 8, farm
leaders in Washington predict that
agriculture's trek to the polls will b.
the greatest, proportionately, for any
occupetional class.
There are computed to be 5000 600
farm homes in this country, fully one
third of which have direct affliation
with one or more of the national agrl-
cultural organizations which have been
belaboring Congress on dozen con-
troverSal issues
OF those homes few have escaped
q barrage of arguments for or against
legislative measures, those which nave
been passed as well as those which have
failed to pass.
Still fewer homes have escaped hear
ing lamentations over '20-cent wheat
1O-cent corn, Scent cotton and 3-cent
hogs"
When prices on the farm reach those
levels, agricultural leaders say. ma
tional election ceases to be one of per-
sonalities and becomes one of issues on
which the great majority of farmers
are convinced one way or another.
Battle of Ballots.
The American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton says more than 1,250,O00 of its
members will go to the polls to vote
for candidates pledged to agricultural
rehabilitation, regardless of party attl-
lations
In calling on the membership to
muster for a great battle for the pro-
lection of their homes and farms"
President Edward A. O'Neal of the
Farm Bureau said:
This is a battle of ballots-not bull
let's. The tipping over of a few milk
trucks and the blockade of few roads
to stop a few loads of farm products
going to market is not the way to
solution of the present economic prob
lem. Bullets we're the only means
available to our pioneer forefathers
We have available today another and
more powerful weapon"
Without suggesting party preference,
ONeal said the farm vote was powerful
enough to save the Nation"
The battle of ballots" campaign re-
suited in a canvass of candidates in
Minnesota on current farm issues.
More than so per cent OF the candl-
dates replied to questionnaires, and 1T
was announced that the majority
agreed that Federal appropriations for
agriculture should be maintained the
include the equalization fee, the export
debenture, or the allotment plan, or
all three; power companies regulated,
independence granted the Philippine
Islands, a national land utilization
policy adopted, the monetary system
revised along the lines of a regulated
value for gold. and farm loans re-
financed at lower interest rates.
Advocates Scratching.
Henry A. Wallace. publisher of Mid
west farm magazine, has predicted and
advocated widespread scratching OF
tickets in Iowa and other essentially
agricultural States.
"Nobody" he said, "cares what .
sherif's views on the tariff may be.
Neither does it matter much what q
State official or legislator thinks about
national legislation. But when We
come to candidates for Congress voting
Q straight ticket doesn't make sense.
"A farmer viii throw away his vote
II he votes for Congressman who Is
headed one way and a President who
is headed another, even though they
happen to wear the same party label. "
According to the Census Bureau, ap-
proximately 70,000,000 persons will be
of voting age on election day, but In
the past only about so per cent OF the
eligible electors cast their ballots.
It has been noted, however. that the
number of votes cast in this years
primary elections from one end OF the
countr1 70 " other was far above the
average. An Associated Press survey
has indicated a registration this year
of 46.965 ,230, against registration OF
42.387,254 in 1928, and vote OF 36,-
798669 the same year.