The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-08-05
(By F. R. b.


following the harvest north from
Arkansas, writes from Kansas.
The pauperization of wheat farm
ers is in full sway. The third
shortest crop in the last twenty
years, plus depressed market, and
economic inequality are reasons
why farmers are now in an ugly
mood. They know that the gov
eminent is all for big business,
that neither they nor workers have
a chance, and many that l have
spoken to forsee a social revolt
unless times radically change. Al
ready at Lest, Kansas, farmers de
manded a moratorium on land
taxes until depression is over cur
tailment of road building, etc. This
type of mass demand has been
typical through my home state of
Minnesota"
Hide Grower Militancy
In reporting the ruin in wheat
fields, the capitalist press always
tries to discount the growing mill
fancy of farmers in various little
ways. These bourgeois papers cling
to the CHEEKY myth that it is pos
sible for farmers to climb the lad
der to Independent farm owner
ship; on a high moral tone they
blame the extravaganza of farm
ers themselves for a large part OF
the present distress; but at the
same time they call farmers ode
pendable citizens" who are sup
posed to be deaf to the fighting
program of the Communist party
Thus the New York Times Of
July Srd reports, "The financial re-
turn on wheat running eight bush
els to the acre at 20-30 cents a
bushel is negligible" The actua
cost of production is above 81
cents a bushel for a normal crol
of Is bushels to the acre. This
negligible" return is in reality ;
nice way of saying a "total loss
Thousands of acres will go IN
cut" Now the reporter must adj
the moral: Foresight is as nee
Iessary in wheat farming as an!
other enterprise, and farmers VIII,
use all Of the profits of the ia
years for unnecessary equipmen
are up against a lean year withou
reserves" A radio in the home i
probably to be classed as "unneC
essary equipment"
Hope Farmer Is "Sane"
And again in an earlier dis
patch, New York Times, June 8
under the headline Farmers 1
Kansas go Radical Sanely," an0th
er CHEEKY note in struck: "Th'
Kansas farmer is showing an II
telligent approach to the problem
said F. d. Farrell, president 9
the Kansas State College, there
no likelihood that he will upset tn
apple cart. The farmer today
an economist, a student and a d.
pendable citizen"
Gleefully the reporter adds thu
an organizer for the defunct MOI
partisan League failed to stir U
unrest. The reader is left with Il
impression that farmers, even Il
ruined, are too dependable" I
make mass demands. It is tn
that farmers of the grain belt WI
have seen the collapse of the MOI
partisan League will no longer Ii
ten 10 their organizers. But Il
dispatch does not say that the
are whole farming sections whit
are organizing on the basis of Il
militant class struggle program
local Committees of Action-a1
doing it because they are depen
able citizens who care about fee
ing their children and opening I
10 the mass of workers and farr
ers the wealth of the country.
Take the Damn Farm
In comparison with the mout
lngs of bourgeois reporters VIII
are paid for their optimism, '
turn to the true picture as Civ,
by our farm worker. 'I went o
TO one man at Hays, Kansas, W
had Is children, and 470 acres
grain. He went $500 in debt
the 1881 harvest. He will go FL
ther this year, both because of t
prices and crop conditions. Sor
man came out there trying to G
lect a bill. They spoke Germs
so l did not understand. But
heatedly burst into broken Engli
"Take the damn farm" This m
is showing signs of ceasing to
a dependable citizen"
Terrorizing the Migratory
Workers
WHnro oro O four rrl;v,v1eos -, =