The producers news., 1932-12-30
FARMERS SHOCK CONGRESS

CBy Rodney butcher Service writer)
How others look at the Farmer Marchers: It
Washington-The marching farmers who were
greeted amaby when they came make their demands
here seemed revolutionary than the harassed bait
edhunger marchers who preceded them i
Their Farmers National Relief Conference repre-
sented a militant, radical group the farmers which
abandons leadership of the old large national farmer or
CARNATIONS demands immediate emergency relief and IS
often afraid interfere with the due processes OF the
law to save farmer his farm.
The hunger marchers made mild demands for un-
employment insurance and cash relief but the farmer
archers threatened the credit system and operation OF
the government itself when they demanded moratorium
or cessation debts mortgages foreclosures tax
sales and evictions
The farmers shouted their sympathy for the hunger
archers on several and cheered speakers from
among their own ranks who told them that union OF
the working class the farms and in the Cities could
rule the world The frequency with which they used the
Technology and tactics of the radical labor element in
the cities and of the hunger marchers rather startling
But these were genuine farmers, with high per-
centage of Amercanism among them. Ihey wore few
white collars but nearly all had shaves and recent hair
and many their best clothes Rugged outdoor
types were the rule They leaned forward eagerly to
hear their speakers. =
They were also distinguishable from the hunger
rnarchers in that they well fed.
We eat our best chickens and eggs and vegetables
! now said a woman off New Hampshire farm Be
cause we can't sell EN- Being Yankees, always used
+ to sell our best stuff and eat the poorest
Also, these farmers were property owners with
farms to lose The other marchers had nothing to lose
but their lives and their appetites.
Nevertheless, the parallel between the move
ments was nescapable In tiny minority the
radical labor group this crowd of delegates was urging
farmers repudate the present farm organization lead
ers just the other radicals derde and oppose the A
of L.
The communist effort for solidarity of the white
and Negro workers reflected in references to this
movement of white and Negro farmers A Negro
farmer the platform and couple of them spoke
There attacks the profit system the
unequal distribution.
The need for solidarity emphasized. Many
were the references a movement of rank and file
; farmers-the expression commonly used by communis
sympathzers among the bonus army here last summe
and IN the hunger march, This is not just battle o
the farmers, speakers sad but of the entire workin
] class of which the farmers part.
That didn't mean that many were communist
members of farm holiday associations and old non-pal
tisan league elements predominated But it meant tha
these farmers and the groups which sent them here ha
had difficulty In picking up much of the radical largo
and applying it to their own cause
"a They did represent the grievance of millions G
farmers who can't get enough cash of their crops
pay taxes interest and other debt charges and the cost
Il of living They of the breed which summons tn
Is neighbors to assemble at farmers place and prever
eviction or tax sale.
They told of various methods used to keep Anne
ican farmers American farms Including conspr
sizes to keep the bids at sales down to ST oS so that II
toreclosed farmer may be given his farm back as soon
]! the auction is over
This movement grew out of the Iawo farm strix
il organized by the radical participants in that effor
n There's no telling whether it win grow to much Iarg
I proportions.