Evening star., 1932-08-25
BY MILO RENO,
President Of the National Farmers Holida,
Association.

DA uAAo AsAANOB
President Of the National Farmers Holiday
Association.
DES MONIES, Iowa, August IS
N.AN.A).-The National Farmers
Holiday Association resulted from the
experience and education which was fin
ally drafted into a resolution by the old
Corn Belt Committee, composed Of
practically all farm institutions in the
Middle West.
As result OF the defistion program
started in 1920 agriculture suffered a
depreciation in values in 1S months in
excess of $4,000 ,ooo,o 600.
For IL long. weary years We have
petitioned Congress for legislation that
would correct the situation and our
requests have been denied. During that
time promises have been made, only to
be broken. Finally, the farmer, dis
couraged, broken-hearted and bankrupt,
has come to realize that he is at the
parting Of the ways and that If his
rights as an American citizen. as an
independent owner and operator OF a
farm, are to be restored it will be by
and through his own efforts.
On July 6, 1927, the following resolu-
ton was adopted at a meeting of the
Corn Belt Committee:
"If we cannot obtain justice by legis-
lation, the time will have arrived when
no other course remains than organized
refusal to deliver the products Of the
farm at less than production costs"
Held Earnest Pledge.
This resolution was, and Is, an
~ AE %I@4 60 IAA Anr - 1sYn
of America to take whatever action is
necessary to restore to agriculture the
position in the economic structure of
our Nation that has been taken from it.
The record of the last session of
Congress, as well as previous sessions,
certainly will convince the mot credu-
lous that farmers can no longer hope
for economic justice through legisla-
ton. They have been deceived, misled
and betrayed. Not single legislative
act has been seriously considered by
the controlling powers in the last ses-
sion of Congress that could possibly
correct an unthinkable situation.
The farmers are being disposSeSsed
by the thousands and compelled to go
with the great army of jobless and
homeless now threatening the very
heart of our civilization.
The Holiday Association hopes to OBJ
tain its objective without adding to the
distress and desolation now prevailing
in our Republic. We are simply de-
manding the same consideration for
our industry that Is cheerfully con-
| ceded to every other industry. We as
sumo for ourselves the right to obtain
this consideration in the same way
other institutions obtain theirs that is,
to refuse to deliver the products Of our
farms for less than production costx.
Present prices just as surely mean
bankruptcy for the farmer as for the
merchant who delivers his goods al
less than cost and carriage.
! We realize agriculture is the basic
! industry Of this Nation. 1t is the great
est consumptiVe power and all other
| related industries must suffer If the
buying power of agriculture is not re-
stored.
Business Must Suffer.
We also realize that until the buy
irg power of the farmer is restored
which can be done only by conceding
him the right to cost Of production,
based on an American standard of ex-
| istence-DusinesS institutions, whether
grea: cr small, important or humble,
must suffer.
The unemployment problem that now
is shaking this republic to its very
foundation would be relieved quickly
| if the farmer could obtain price for
! his products that would permit him
| to buy the things he so sadly needs
in his home and in the operation OF
his farm.
We never have demanded the right
to arbitrarily fix a price that will be
unfair to the consumers OF food. We
recognize the right of the other groups
of society to full cooperation in the
establishing Of cost prices.
In our initial efforts in this move
ment We have obtained the services OF
the most efficient agricultural econo-
mists possible to work out the rela'
tionship that should exist between the
cost OF producing farm products ane
all other products and have repeatedly
asked and sometimes received the un-
selfish and whole-hearted assistance oi
qualified men from practically every
group of society.
Our demand is so everlastingly right
eous that other individuals and group
of society almost universally indorse ou
position and are in sympathy with ou
efforts. The success OF this holida