Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-12-28
LABOR MEN TALK
AT ROCK CREEK
p. H. Deamer, Labor Organizer, Ex-
presses Thanks for Aid of
Farmers.

Il
Speaking before the Farmers Holt
day unit of Rock Creek, Wednesday
evening of last week, P. H. Deamer,
organizer for the Union of Upholster-
ers of the A. F.. L., conveyed the
thanks of his union to the farmers
for the recent assistance offered
when the farmers and workers were
on a concurrent strike. A group of
Pine county farmers sent a truck
load of milk to the striking uphol-
sterers, it being estimated by the
farmers and workers that the milk
which would have brought only six
dollars at prevailing prices, was
worth over six times that much at
retail to the striking workers. Ac
companying Mr.. Deamer was Joseph
P. Soltis, president of local union No.
81 of the Twin City upholsterers.
Mr.. Deamer was introduced by Art
Peterson of the Rock Creek unit. He
stated that if it had not been for
the assistance of the Holiday Associa-
tion the strikers would have been
starved back to work, before their
cause had been won. Vividly describ-
ing the conditions of the city workers,
Mr.. Deamer said that under the con-
ditions of the past Is years, competi-
tion between workers had become
great because of the system of piece
work" started in 1928. He told of one
10
1929, but during the depression had
been forced to draw on his savings
until it was entirely exhausted and
the worker forced to appeal to the
community fund. The Upholsterer's
Union had expected to be able to sit
down and bargain with their employ
ers under the MIRA but found this
| impossible.
Deamer Scoffed at Surplus Talk.
The speaker derided the idea of
surplus of butter and stated that the
reason for the low price of this pro-
duct was because the city worker
had no money with which to buy
| and was therefore using substitutes
or nothing at all. He denounced the
| Citizens Alliance as representative
of big business and the banking in
| terests, and stated that this Organiza-
tion had endeavored to create the
false impression that the farmer
wants as much as he can get for his
products and the city worker wants
to buy as cheaply as possible" The
city worker desires to see the farmer
get fair price for his products and
likewise the farmer wants the city
worker to receive fair wage.
Holiday Vice President Talks.
Following Mr.. Deamer's address,
stirring talk was given by Charles
johnson of Round Lake, Jackson
county, who is vice president of the
State Holiday Association and prom
inent worker in the Holiday move
ment. Anyone who tries to do some
thing for others may expect to be
attacked" said Mr.. Johnson. I'm
southern Minnesota, the Farmers
Holiday Association has been instru-
mental in stopping foreclosures and
has been able to keep more than
eighty families on their farms when
they were in danger of losing them"
| Mr.. johnson cited one instance
where a farmer had put $4,000 into
a farm but was now in danger of
losing that farm on an $4,000 mort
gage. The Farmers Holiday organiza-
ton has demonstrated it's ability to
settle cases, keep farmers on their
| farms, and make adjustments between
the debtor and creditor. All the Hol-
iday is working for is to help farmers
save their homes during this crisis.
The speaker paid a tribute to Sen
ator Norris of Nebraska, as a fighter
for human rights. He urged the farm
ers to select suitable candidates for
the legislature and said they should
back up candidates who would fight
for farmers rights and support the
governor in his battle for the peoples
rights. He also said that farmers
should continue to fight for the pas
sage of the Frazier Bill in Congress.
| The Farmers Holiday movement,
said the speaker is aiming chiefly at
the problem of helping farmers get
better conditions and have some en-
joyment out of life instead of being
continually faced with the spectacle
of poverty and privation because Of
overburdened mortgages and debts.