The producers news., 1932-06-17
DEMANDS IGNORED
FOR nine MONTHS


(Continued from Front Page)
reduced from well-to-do farmers
to paupers, are beginning to see
the way out through organization
and organized struggle. AS we
have already alluded, the vast ma
jOrity of these farmers are form
er workers from the industries and
therefore many of them have gone
through many bitter struggles,
strikes, etc., while they were in
the industries. They have an in
dustrial background and, there
fore, it is no accident that the
struggle of the st. Louis county
farmers takes a very militant
form. They have learned through
bitter experience that only organ
izing into militant organizations
will the Wall Street master be
compelled to make concessions to
the farmers as well as to the
workers.
UFL Organized a Year Ago
Little more than a year ago the
United Farmers League officially
entered this territory. 1t was dis
covered that the poor farmers
were beginning to be alarmed at
the seriousness of the situation.
Scores of farmers meetings were
held where the farmers problems
were discussed. These meetings
finally eliminated in a country
wide United Farmers League con-
ference last August where a pro-
gram of demands were formulated
and a detailed plan wer was work
ed out for huge farmers Hunger
March to the county seat at Du-
luth. Among the demands then
formulated were:
1. Exemption from taxation fol
all poor farmers.
2. Cancellation of debts anc
mortgages.
3. Against mortgage foreclos.
ures, sheriff sales, evictions, etc.
4. Cash relief for the needy.
5. Minimum wage of so cents an
hour on county work, time and {
half for over eight hours, recogni
ton of grievance committees OF
jobs.
6. Abolition of the county agen-
and the reduction of the salarie.
of county officials not to exceed
$4,000 a year.
Farmers Present Demands to
to County Board
No one dared to anticipate tn,
proportions that the farmers Hun
ger March would reach. Tn,
county board of commissioner
was informed that on Sept. 21s
a delegation of farmers woul,
meet with them to discuss tn,
farmers demands. And on tn,
morning of September 21st tn,
march began from Orr, which i
about $50 miles from Duluth, an,
at every important road intersec
ton additional numbers of farm
ers' cars and trucks filled wit
farmers and their wives and boy
and girls, joined the procession.
When it finally arrived at Du
luth more than 1900 farmers wer
in the march and over 1000 work
ers of Duluth were waiting 70
them at the court house square
1t was one of the biggest demon
strations of militant workers an
farmers ever held in Duluth.
Demands Ignored
At the meeting a committee wa
selected to meet with the commi:
sioners. The delegation presente
the demands to the commissioner
but could not get any definite an
swer. AS usual the commission
ers complained that they had nc
studied" the demands and wer
not in position to act upon then
The delegation offered to civ
them time and meet with the1
after they had studied" the d
mands and the following Wedne.
day was set as the date for a ne
meeting.
AT the scheduled time the farm
ers' committee was present at Il
arranged meeting place. It VIZ
the same story-more time. A
this meeting the commissionel
promised to take the matter ND
their next meeting and report Il
action to the St Louis county sc
retary of the United Farmel
League, Comrade r. Tanttila. Mn
months have passed and nothir
: has been done. The farmers ha,
patiently waited for months. The