The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-09
The ROAD AHEAD

The Farmers National Keller NOnICICdlCC WlHNAA
is opening this week in Washington, is as we re-
marked some weeks ago, turning point IN the
STRUGGLES of the American farm population. 1t u.s.
however a turning point not only in respect to the
past out of which has arisen but in respect to the
future.
The immediate occasion for the calling of the
conference was the strike OF dairy farmers around
Sioux CITY and the strike movement which rose IN
other states at the same time. These strike strug-
giles of the past year took place in many areas where
there had been tradition OF political redcallsm;
The farmers in these however demonstrated
that they were ready struggle for the right to 1--we
for themselves and their children.
This. struggle, which swept through large sec
+;ons Of the country in the past summer and tall,
was of wider extent and of sharper character than
nv similar occurrence in the recent history OF the
American farm masses This determination OF the
American farmers to struggle was evidenced not
only in the actual strike struggles but in the much
more widespread support which was given to the
Farmers Holiday Association In the several states In
which it was organized.
The organization of the Farmers Holiday Asso-
citation in most states made use OF by reputable
farm leaders to prevent actual struggle by the farm
ers for their immediate needs While the movement
was actually betrayed by its selfappointed national
and state leadership, It's spread among the farmers
was an evidence that they looking for other
means than those which the reformist farm lead
ers" of the Farmers Union the Grange, and Farm
Bureau have offered them. The farmers are de-
handing something than legislative pro-
grams and speeches by progressive Fakers in
Congress.
Those farmers who struck during the asst year
showed this with determination for united action
that has long been absent from the lives of the farm
ers
Fully as significant in understanding the back
ground for the Relief Conference, are the strug-
giles against foreclosures, evctions and forced sales
which have developed in the immediate past, par
ticulary in the northwest. In these struggles the
of farmers of separate communities have
shown that they are determined to unite in defense
of their homes and to keep their only for
making living their land, their stock and machin-
cry. Of particular significance in these struggles is
the fact that here the class lines have been drawn
very sharply, sharply than in the case of the
strike In the strike, businessmen, their chambers
OF commerce, and their county officials could ex-
press sympathy with the movement as long as it
remained peaceful. In the struggles against fore
closures and evictions they have been very reluc-
tant to express even such sympathy.
During the past year the class struggle of the
American farm masses has been sharpened to an
unprecedented degree. For this reason the Farm
ers National Relief Conference which has. this
sharpened struggle the farms as its basis marks
turning point in the history of the American farm
masses. We must decide now however, that to a
decisive degree this turning point will not provide
Its own solution-it must be made The task of de-
Veopmg the struggles which have led to the calling
OF the Conference will fall to the most militant ele
ments among the farmers
While the decisions of the Farmers National
Relief Conference not known to us as vet we
can emphasize the fact that the United Farmers
League must be of the main forces in PUTTING
into life the decisions arrived at by the Conference
Putting life into these demands will mean for
us as well for the other delegates and organiza
lions participating in the conference bringing them
Ito the masses of the farmers turnout the country
teaching them that the demands of the Conference
ARE the only demands which offer relief for them
from the miseres of the present crisis More impor
'tant, we must make it our main task to convince
he masses of farmers thruou the country that these
correct and just demands be secured only if thew
A'truggle for them
The United Farmers League has not grown to
degree fitting the sharpening of the class STRUGGLE