The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-02-17
Friday, February II. 1888
FARM LEADERS, TRY TO RIDE
THE CREST OF THE WAVE

In a letter to the Producers News, Tom Horsford
president of the Montana Holiday Association gives us
pretty good picture of what he thinks of his job He
gives good idea of what the hgh-saaried farm lead
ers of the Milo Reno variety think of the farmers
struggles
Horsford starts off as follows.
I'VE are devoting lot of time to the stopping
of foreclosures and evctions. We are educating
people, appealing to the conscience (if there
any such hing) of others and soaring the hell out
of lot of the mean devils"
Since this is the first time that we have heard of this
part of Mr. Horsfords activities, don't know exactly
just what means We do know that the Montana press
has carried of any united action being
gained by Mr. Horsford to keep the farmers their
FARMS and to prevent evictions and foreclosures We
think that Mr. Horsford has been arbrating with the
bankers and the mortgage holders in order to save
the farmers
Why then, is Mr.. Horsford pretending to organize
the farmers in resistance to the bankers and their crew.
he tells us himself in sentence that could hardly be
improved on for frankness
"As see it the tide of resistance is rising rap
idly and must ride the crest of the wave if we are
going to be able to steer the ship"
The tide of resistance is rising rapidly Horsford
realizes, as do Milo Reno John Simpson, Taber and
ONea the four horseman of the National Holiday Asso-
citation, the Farmers Union the Grange and the Farm
Bureau Federation The farmers going out and fight
ing evictons and foreclosures. The rank-ande is no
longer content with cooperation" county agents. or
farm relief programs dictated from the top
In their struggles turnout the country the farmers
have elected their rank and file leaders, AS the
tide rises, the olline leaders and Horsford see the
approaching end of their control over farmers They fear
they will have to go and grub living instead of
being fed somany thousand per year.
So, says MIR. Thomas Horsford I'VE must ride
the crest of the wave if going to be able to
steer the ship"
The farmers are fighting. The farmers have arisen
in all parts of the country They have stopped evcons
and foreclosures They have forced the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation and the Red Cross to come across
with relief.
What should be the leaders taskp What do the
organizers of the United Farmers League do
They go out, organize the farmers get them to elect
their own committees to carry the struggle fight by
their side in forced sales evctons relief demonstrations
ETC.
MIR. Horsford does not have this conception of
leadership He wants to ride the crest of the wave"
he wants to RIDE THE FARMERS.
He conceives of himself as little tinplate Musso-
ml Why do they want to ride the waves-or the farm
ers? In order keep their well paid Jobs and 70 stee,
the ship
That is what the bankers need RIGHT now. sonebodr
to steer the ship to mislead the farmers i IS the
slave ship of the bankers that off course and the bank
ers want the farm leaders who have so long isled the
farmers, to find means to steer it. Mr. Hors
ford is attempting this with fine phrases about how much
ne is doing for the farmers
We thank him for his frank statement. and hone
that all farmers will take careful note of it. and Of the
statements that their own leaders make in this regard