davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
ARREST TEN IN
SLOVAKLAN TAX
SALE OF FARMS

The campaign of Czech terror
against the Slovakian peasantry is
being continued. The police have
attempted to make further arrests
in connection with the Polomka
massacre when police killed two
peasants in a clash after authori-
ties had sold ont peasants holdings
for taxes.
In the night from Nov. 10 to 20
detachment of armed police ar
rived in the village of HrOnetch in
order to make arrests. However,
the storm bells sounded and in a
short space of time the whole vii
lage and the surroundings were
alarmed and peasants were pour
ing onto the streets from all di-
rections armed with any weapons
which came to hand.
ARREST TEN
The police thought discretion the
better part of valour and left the
village hurriedly. Later, however
larger force of police returned
and made ten arrests. Among the
arrested are three officials of the
communist party.
During the last few days scores
of protest meetings have taken
place all over the country agains
the massacre of Polomka and als'
against the legal drive being mad
against the communist party ant
its parliamentary representatives
The meetings and demonstration
were particularly powerful in tn
German-speaking districts and i
Slovakia.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
CALF. PRIMERS.
AGAINST WAGE
|. CUT OF SCENTS

Vacaville, Calf, Dec. 11.-Afte
four weeks out on strike, Califor
mia tree primers are still wagin
a militant fight against attempte
lowering of their wages from $1.5'
day to $1.25.
EVERY DAY COUNTS
Only a few scabs are reporte'
working, and the bosses are grow,
ing more and more impatient 7
get their pruning done before Il
heavy rains set in and they cannd
wait very much longer.
The six strike leaders who We
kidnapped from the local jail haE
returned to the struggle and a
addressing mass meetings ever
where asking for support OF I'll
militant strikers. Substantial &C
Ilections have been sent to wor
ers which strengthens their so
darity and their determination
fight. Protest kilograms ha
been sent to the Workers Intern
tional Relief at 1923 Fillmore S
San Francisco.
TRY TO DEFEAT WORKERS
All the capitalist class press
California is trying to defeat I
400 striking workers because tn
realize that Che militant Vacavi
workers are setting an examI
for The tens of thousands of 9th
agricultural workers throughc
the state, ground down to mise
able conditions.
And the ranks Of the STRIKE
| remain solid.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
FARMERS HOLD
BIG PA. NETTING
Enthusiastic Welcome Ac'
corded Delegates to
Farm Conference
(Bv a Farmer Delegate)

Greencastle, Pa, Dec lS.-AM
enthusiastic welcome was give
the North and South Dako1a'
Montana washington and oregon
JoTa~a+;nns on their return Trip
froro the Washington Farm heileA
CONFERENCE at a meeting az tne
local high school. Approximately
HSo farmers attended the meetmg'
st delegates reported on their M
Ds ;sSTs with their various con-
orr Garner and Hoover AM
1ointed out that the evaslVe &c :.
pG of these politicians mean
thaf thev would do absoiutel.
.n4 as;n@ - secure real relief TO-
the farmers. .Dmrpc
T. ;s nm to the farmers them
saiyos ONLY by their united strug
'Ia oor thev secure cash RELIEF 10
sie ,o oa farmers. Mass &C
+;op can also prevent wnolesa =.
so i and eviction OF farme s;s
a. : the farmers duty to organl1
'.s - = widely and thoroughly DC
I lnOt +ha demands of the Farmer
1 Mat;onal Relief Conference.
The local f armers repOlI s~ate
thr a sale and the deleg ss =
e .nssSs n organizing commls T.s
a as n"t;on r. prevent the sale. Ina
th n FAR" farmers were successful Is + 4
I nOy.e ed' in another section OF q
paper.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
SEE CONGRESSMAN

1t was decided to divide up the
Conference into delegations which
would visit the senator's, repre-
sentatives, Garner, Curtis and Hoo
yer and TO ask them very specific
questions as to their position on
the demands which the farmers
had drawn up. Each senator was
visited by farmers from his own
state.
Friday morning the farmer dele
gates proceeded to the Capitol for
the appointments which they had
made with their various Congress
men. No sooner had they reached
the front of the Capitol when they
were met by a squad of Hoover's
police who tried to bully them and
prevent them from keeping their
appointments. The North Dakota
delegation preceded the remain
der of the delegates to keep their
appointment with Senator Frazier
AS soon as they saw that the re
mainder of the delegates had beer
held back by the police they de-
manded of Frazier that he secure
their release. Frazier got in touch
with the other senators with whom
the farmers had appointments anC
they got in touch with the police
The police were forced to let the
delegates free. The senators re
allied that these farmers were no
there as individuals but as repre-
sentatives Of millions of farmer
thruout the country. It was fea
lof this mass that made the sena
CONTINUED ON Page Twol
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
800 CAN. FARME'
STOP TAX SAL;

Poplarfield, Man, Canada, N.
25.-Through snow and frost {,
farmers gathered here Novem
% to protest tax sale ADVERT,
for that day. Not only were !
farmers successful in stopping /,
sale but they also compelled /,
government collector, w. Hrycir
TO resign.
Over $50 teams with slei
filled all the streets in the II
town. The farmers had come fl
20 miles around, carrying banrL
"Food for our Children fin
''HOld our Homes"
PARADE TO COLLECTORS
OFFICE !
One hour before the sale a ny
meeting was held, attended by I
l CONTINUED on Page Two)
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
WHIP UP WAR SPIRIT

Members of the House and Sem
ate are doing all they can to whip
up war spirit among the Amer
lean workers and farmers at the
defaulting nations. Senator Nc
Kellar, democrat of Tennessee, in
troduced a resolution providing
that a passport to France should
cost $1,000. Representative Knut-
son of Minnesota introduced a
resolution calling for the barring
of all securities of defaulting ma
lions from the U. S.
Representative Britten of Hi :
nois declared that France "now
stands before the world as cheat
a miser, an international swindler
and an unappreciative, deceitful
nation which would destroy its
honor for a stack of gold"
/ ENGLAND MET PAYMENT
England met it's debt installmen
of 100000 but il, gave notict
that it would make no further
payments until the u. S. accede'
to its demand of revision of tn
debts.
The French government offere'
as it's reason for defaulting the
, fall of the Herriot government
The other governments pointed t
their bankrupt conditions as re
suit of the devastating world crisi
, and the consequent decline Of car
italism.
The nationalist and patriot
speeches delivered by various Coz
gressmen is calculated to develo
a war hysteria among the Amer
can people. Going to war to co
lect the debts will not help tn
workers and farmers. There is a
ready plenty of money in the coul
try to give adequate relief rigl
now. The only measure that WI
help the debt-ridden and impo'
erished farmers and workers
cancellation of all debts, both pu
lie and private.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23

With the adoption of a militant
program and the organization of
united front organization for the
struggling farmers of the country,
the more than ESQ delegates meet
ing in Washington, Dec. ITO IN
the Farmers National Relief Con-
ference opened up a new phase In
the uniting of the farmers of the
entire country in the struggle for
| immediate cash relief, against
evictions and foreclosures, and for
production credits for the impov-
erished farmers.
The first delegates to the Farm
ers National Relief Conference
with the exception of those who
came with the Hunger March, be-
gan to arrive on Tuesday, Dec. 6,
The more than $50 delegates who
took part in the conference came
from the widest reaches Of the en-
tire country, from New Hampshire
TO Florida, from Montana to Ala
bama, and from Washington t.
Pennsylvania. In all over thirty
states were represented directly.
CALL COMMITTEE INTRO
DUCED
The Typographical Union Hal
was packed to the doors when Len
Harris. Executive Secretary TO
the Call Committee, opened tn
meeting. The Call committee wa
= asked to sit on the platform. Thi
committee which had conducted Tn
\ preliminary work for the confer
ence consisted of Harry Lux, Mel
Holiday Association; VIM. Hobbs
president of the New Englan
= Farmers League; Louis Benzle,
president of the United Farmer
Protective Association (formerl
the Pennsylvania F. P. Al; an
H. w. Springer, pres, Of the Ne
Jersey Farmers Protective Assc
cation: Pat Barrett, of the Mort
Dakota Holiday Assoc; Ed Bal
n man of United Farmers Leagu
N Mimi; and Stephen Spaford Neg
a. renresenting the organized Neg
IN farm workers of Florida.
ip Each of the members of the G
eff Committee was introduced to =
Ie Conference. The greatest applau
ly greeted the Negro member fro
g. Florida.
n The Call Committee suggest'
n as temporary chairman, Tony Rt
nd e an vice president of the y
e braslra Holiday Association. I
MT domination was unanimously q
'ly nroved by the conference.
- REAL PROGRAM
On taking the chair RosenDt
n Do;nted out that from this conf
u ence must come a real progr'
Loi Co. the farmers, q program II
ac so,,ld mean something to them
Ale the;r nresent miserable condita'
rs. a-.J not a program such as III
lie been b passed at farmers meetin
,e- and conventions which have D.
ers under the control Of high saiar
office holders.
tes The chairman, Tony Rosenbe
go introduced Lem Harris, Execu'
sss Sacvetarv of the Call Commits
ila' ,.erort on the background
tse tSe purposes of the cOnferel
'"' Harris Ia pointed out, IN openi
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
THREE NEGROES
SHOT in BLOODY
SHERIFF'S RAID
Farmers Killed When They
Defend Livestock of
NeighbOr
LYNCH SPIRIT
Danger of More Horrible
Crimes Against
Negroes

Tallassee, Ala, Dec. 20.-The
outrageous and cold blooded muir
der of three Negro farmers and
farm hands occurred here when
sheriffs made a dastardly attempt
to take a Negro farmers livestock
away from him yesterday.
The cattle belonged TO Cliff
James who lives about II miles
east, of Tallassee. The cattle were
the only means of making a living
for James, and he and other neigh
boring farmers were determined TO
protect him, as other farmers have
done throughout the country, par
lticularly in Nebraska and the
northwest.
KILL THREE
When the sheriff and his men
found that the Negro farmers,
who suffer even more than white
farmers under the capitalist sys-
! TEN, were organized to protect the
property in order TO keep from
death by starvation, their anger
knew no bounds. The sheriff and
his men used the same terror
methods against tht militant Ne
! groes that have always followed
the black man under Southern
capitalist rule. Three were killed
outright.
One, John McMullen, was killed
at the home of James. Not c1n-
h tent with one killing, the posse
d like a bunch of bloodhounds, the!
: traced another Negro to a hous'
i, where he had barricaded himself
). in and killed him. His name wa
4 lJudson Simpson. The name OF tn
If third Negro is not known.
ALL NEGROES IN DANGER
Six Negroes have been arreste
n and their lives are in imminen
in danger. At least so cars 9
r. armed men are securing the couI
he try, looking for other Negroes. n
G. Negno's life is safe, and there
n no telling what other blood
ng crimes will be committed.
Id The United Farmers League d
IT. mands that the six arrested me
a be placed in safety at once ar
NO steps be taken to stop the lyme
IA terror instituted against the N
groes and guarantee them safet
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
Farmers Rally Around Fighting Program

ence based on the farmers con-
ditions thruout the country which
had been presented in the various
reports. This committee was Sc
lected on the basis of one member
from each of seven different re-
gions thruout the country. Fred
Chase of New Hampshire was Sc
lected for the New England rep
resentative, and later became the
chairman of the committee. Benzly
was chosen for the middle Allan
tic states and the middle west
Jim Flower of Minnesota, for
Minnesota. Michigan and Wiscon-
sin; Jess Green of Nebraska, for
Nebraska and Kansas; Andy Ola
for the Dakotas and Montana; and
Paul Dale of Oregon for the far
west, including Washington, Ore,
Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado.
VOTE ON EACH POINT
The program committee later
asked for the assistance of Chas
! Taylor of Montana and Alfred
ITALIA of Minnesota to report the
program as it was being worked
out. to the floor of the conference
In the Thursday morning ses-
sion while the program committed
was working out the program, re
ports were heard from sections
which hadn't an opportunity to b,
heard at the previous sessions.
The program was then reportet
to the floor by Taylor and TiaIa
as it was finished by the commit
tee. Each part of the pnogran
was voted on as it appeared from
the committee. AS each section
was reported the floor was throw
up for complete discussion on tn
part of the delegates. The pn1
posals of the program committe
were accepted with only mino
changes which were referred froI
! the floor back to the committee
during the course of the discu;
sion. The program in full wa
printed in last weeks Producer
: News. The first part of the pr
! gram to be reported was that COZ
corning immediate relief for I'll
farm masses. This is included
! the first three points of the pr,
gram. The program demands g
e appropriation of $5OO,0OO,O00
raise the farm population to
1 minimum health and decenC
standard of living. Point two d
, mands hat the federal govern
ment purchase directly from tn
, farmers all food and other pr
. ducts which are given to the u
: employed for relief, and that the
products shall be processed an
! transported by the federal Cover
6 ment without any profit to 70,
3 monopolies and transportation CO
Il panies.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
INCREASE IN PRICES

Point three as reported to the
conference demanded an increase
in the prices paid to the farmers,
with a reduction in the prices to
the consumers. This is to be
achieved by a price regulating
body to be elected by the workers
and farmers.
In his report Lem Harris pointed
out that the allotment plan, as
well as others Of the same charac-
ter, were being proposed in ordel
to deceive the farmers into believ
ing that a solution to their prob
lens could be found thru the star
walton of the mass of the popula
ltion. For this reason they talk
'about surplus" production.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
TRY TO Whip UP
WAR SPIRIT AT
DEBTOR NATION
Britain Only Country That
Is Meeting Debt
Instalment

Washington, Dec. 49, With
Poland, Esthonia, Hungary and
Belgium joining France in default
ing in payment of the war debt
installment due the United States,
the danger of war looms even
more threatingly before workers d
! the world
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
Adopts Carefully Considered Program; Delegates
VIII Organize Around These Demands in
Home Communities

that, tho the conference was phys
ically confined within the four
walls of the meeting place, its sup
port and influence extended in re-
atty to every state in the union.
He read kilograms from Califor-
MIA, Oklahoma and other states
from farmers who were with the
conference in sympathy but who
had not been able to finance the
trip to Washington.
CRISIS NOT TEMPORARY
He pointed out that the present
crisis was not temporary or ma
tional in character, but world wide
and. without any turn for the bet
ter in the immediate future. His
statement that these conditions
demanded united struggle on the
part of the workers and farmers
: was greeted with thunderous APP
plause from the delegates.
The program of the bankers,
Harris pointed, out was one of
lower living standards for the toll
ing farmers. This program is be-
ing carried thru by all of the
agencies Of the bankers, including
the Federal Reserve Banks. The
| delegates applauded vigorously
n when Harris stated that despite al
r of the plans of the bankers for
e lower living standards FOR the
s toiling farmers, "We are not go
S ing back to lower STANDARDS of liv
e. ing"
: UNITED ACTION
2. Harris report concluded with ;
4 call for united action on the par
U Of the Negro and white farmers
IS and of the farmers with the work
" ers in the cities. To this end
ID program and permanent form o
W organization should be prepare
y by the conference.
In During the afternoon session o
u Wednesday, the first da! of tn
q. conference, the delegates leard re
no ports from a representative Q
70 each state represented there
These reports (which we hope t
II be able to publish in the ProduC
ha ers News in the coming weeks
se were unanimous in showing tn
- lower living standards t which
- the American farm masses wer
being driven by the banlers dul
y ing the present crisis.
IS From each section of he coul
1e try the delegates reportd price
ne for their products far blow Il
Up cost of production. AS a resu
of this acute privation vas beir
felt in all parts of the countr
with actual starvation Joining
srg certain of them. The delegates r
err ported an intensified willingness
am on the part of the tanners
hat struggle for the lives IF the
IN loved ones.
ons These reports we're fom til
ave very farmers who were leing Q
gs, pressed and not from higl salari
cen farm sleaders" who woui falsi
led them in the interests OF the e
ploiters of the farmers.
'rg, ELECT COMMITTEES
tee. II was decided at the evenil
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
WIDE REVOLT OF
PEASANTS Is NOW
FELT IN MEXICO

Mexico City, Dec. 15.-A wide
spread revolt of peasants and ag-
ricultural workers is reported. in
the state of Vera Cruz. Peasants
whit have been enslaved to the bip
landlords have been ground to un.
bearable conditions and have risen
IN revolt al, their conditions of ne
onage.
1t is reported that 80 per cent of
farm renters have refused to nav
rent. At the same time municipal
and state authorities are demand
ing prompt and full payment, of
taxes which is n absolute impos-
slbility fir small landowners.
REFUSE TO PAY RENTS
Peasants have taken matters in
their own hands and have refused
to pay taxes and rents. The fed
eral government is rushing 10000
troops to NOW down the militant
agrarian masses.
The peasants are also demon
strating against the government:
land distribution prtgram, which
is in the interests of the big land
owners.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
ELECT COMMITTEES

It was decided at the evening
session to elect a progrsn and a
resolutions committee to prepare
a set of demands for tt confer
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23

The defeat of any legislation
based on the theory of Surplus"
production was demanded in point
five on the grounds that while
millions of our population are un-
dernourished through loss of pur-
chasing power, the acceptance of
the surplus theory is a crime
against farmers and workers" -
(This point was omitted from the
Producers News of Dec. Is by mis-
take).
!, CANCELLATION OF DEBTS
! The program demands under the
next point, production credit for
the impoverished farmers who
have no collateral" this produc-
ton credit to be administered by
elected committees of farmers and
workers. For the most impover-
ished part of the farm population
the program demands under point
seven, the cancellation of debts
and interest," while for the re-
mainder of the farm masses g
moratorium on these debts is de-
manded. For all of the toiling
farm masses this part of the pro
gram demands Cancellation of tn
back taxes and moratorium on flu
ture farm taxes during the crisis
, The final demand is that "dur
ing this national crisis Congress
should declare all foreclosures
| seizure of property and eviction
illegal"
The farmers who were present
at the Conference realized that
making demands was not suf-
ficient. The program was there
fore concluded with the pledge
to win their demands by mass
action. eve pledge ourselves"
reads the program Ito protect
our fellow farmers from suffes
ing and their families from SO
cial disintegratiOh, by our united
: action"
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23
SPLENDID INDIANA
FARMERS

December IA we arrived at Wa
bash, Ind. where tw o meetings
were held, several miles apart. |
attended one six miles outside of
the city at the Somerset school and
while there wasn't a big cnowd
OUT, the meeting was attended by
some splendid farmers. A com
mittee of action was organized that
night and l believe that we shall
hear from these farmers soon thru
the columns Of the Producers
News.
Roy Miller, Pat Barrett, and ROY
IDalziel spoke at the meeting. Dal
zieI a member of the Farmers
Union and the Farm Bureau, sal'
that they were merely social or
CARNATIONS and gave no real al
CONTINUED on Page Two)
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-12-23

CrpencaStle, Pa, Dec. I3.-AS
.beriff sale of farmer was -ad-
,'ey+ised for today, we decided at
mass meeting last night to elect
. committee of action to help the
former keep from being sold QUIZ
and we were successful in every
way.
ONLY ONE BIDDER
Today at noon farmers began to
.rr;ve on the scene and continued
until hundreds were present. The
committee approached each credi-
tor as he arrived and asked him to
0rant an extension of time. One
iced dealer refused. Each farmer
then made himself a committee of
one. 70 tell another farmer to stand
Nv and not bid. The farmers
stood together so well that only
are farmer bid, as he had not
been approached and he paid for
the article he bought and gave it
TO the farmer foreclosed.
TEN CENTS FOR A HORSE
Stock and tools were bid In at
low prices so that the farmer
could buy them back. Some of the
prices could have been lower, but
we didn't want to be too hard the
first time. The stock and tools
tOtalled about 500. Some of the
prices were:
Six horses, 1Oc to soc each; IL
COWS, 1Oc to 81 each; IL head
hogs, SITS, total about 10c each;
binder, 81; hay rakes. soc; har-
ness. 1 cent a pair; 1927 Chew
rOlet. so cents.
The whole thing was very easil.
done and each farmer RESPONDED
fine. Some town men presen
urged US to stay on the job, TO
if the farmer cannot exist wha
about the workers in the towns
After they had sold a while, tn
sheriff said we would have to qui
fUOling and bid, but the crowd jus
laughed and didn't pay any after
tiOn. A few more sales like tina
one and therell be no more shel
if sales in Franklin County, Pa.
SPURRED ON BY NORTH
WEST FARMERS
We probably would not hay
taken the stand we did, had NJ
delegates returning to their hom,
from the First Farmers Nation
Relief Conference at Washingto
D. c., urged us to do so. Mar
able speakers, representing farr
ers of Washington, Oregon, Mo
tana, North and South Dakot
Nebraska, Minnesota and Micl
gan, addressed hundreds of o
local farmers at the BrcWnsm
school house last night and urg
US TO Join together to protect ca
other.
We sure congratulate the DO
on the good work they did for
at our meeting. There was Il
Of talk of it at the sale. 1t "
the greatest meeting ever held
the school house.
We trust that by the time t
article comes out in print many
the delegates will be safe in tn
respective homes talking W
their families and neighbors of
glorious times we, the farmt
had during The First National
lief Conference.