Imperial Valley press., 1933-10-21
FARM STRIKE
EFFECTIVE At
NOON TODAY
Long Struggle Predicted By
Milo Reno Of Farm Holiday
Association.
EFFECTIVENESS IN DOUBT
Area Involved Extends Over
Twenty-Seven States With
Millions OF Strikers.
By HARTZELL SPENCE
United Press Staff Correspondent

united Press starr correspondent
DES MONIES, Oct. 81. - A ma
tional farm strike became effective
at noon today, with opposing opin-
ions as to the effectiveness of the
National Farm Holiday associa-
ton s plan to tie up the nations
food supply.
Holiday headquarters here could
not estimate the number of farm
ers in 81 states supporting the
strike Reports that dissension had
risen in the ranks of local Holiday
associations were denied by direc-
tors of the movement.
Milo Reno, president of the ma
tional association announced that
effects of the strike could not be
seen before Monday and that it's
full force probably would not be
realized for month.
"'Be prepared to stay with it for
state and county presidents In
letter mailed today. This fight
will not be won in 80 days or 90
days.
CHICAGO, Oct. 81 U.P)-Farm-
ers of the middleWest, desperate
because of failure of farm prices to
respond to the national recovery
program, struck today in an effort
to force federal relief.
Farm organizations claiming
membership of 100000 farmers in
81 states called on their members
to halt movement of livestock and
food to market and to boycott mer-
chants until farm prices reach cost
of production
The declaration of economic
warfare was issued by Milo Reno,
militant president of the National
Farmers Holiday association, ef-
fetive at noon today and to con-
tinue until farmers receive "fair
price, for the products.
Opinion as to the support which
the movement will receive from the
great majority of farmers not af-
filiated with the association diff
fered. Leaders of other organiza-
tionS, believing in more conserva-
tive action, withheld comment.
Support of efforts to focus fed
eral attention to the plight of
farmers came from at least five
governors of middlewestern states
North Dakota, Nebraska Wiscon-
sin, Iowa and Minnesota. Endorse
ment of the strike as method Of
obtaining relief was not given by
oil tho oOvernOrc b0WaVar
Gov. Charles Bryan of Nebraska
declared "the farmers throat is
being cut from ear to earo and
che Is entitled to protest. Gov.
William LANCER of North Dakota,
who ordered state militia to enforce
a state embargo on wheat, describ
ed the farmers plight as "piti-
able -
Gov. Albert Schmedman of Wis
consin. where frequent milk strikes
have occurred announced the
strike "iS a national matter re-
quiring leadership of federal au-
thorities' and that his state would
Join the movement within "a hours
Iowa Not Participating
The Iowa Farm Bureau Fedora
d
than 100000 farmers, announced
it would not participate in the
strike and predicted not more. than
10 per cent of midwest farmers
would take part. Leaders described
the present strike as "a mistake. -
Reno and other leaders of the
Farm Holiday association, however,
were confident of success. The
Farm situation, Reno said, has
reached the point where millions
of farmers have concluded federal
attention can be attracted only by
drastic action.
The demands of the association,
Reno said in his proclamation, in
clude a price equal to the cost OF
production, an increase of money in
circulation, a national moratorium
on mortgage foreclosures, a refi-
nancing of farm debts and code
for agriculture.
The strike, Reno said, will be
entirely PEACEFUL unless farm
ers are "forced to violence. He
called on farmers to refuse to sell
any produce except for prices equal
to the cost of production, refuse to
buy merchandise except as neces-
sary to sustenance, refuse to leave
their homes or meet capital pay
ments and to decline to pay taxes
or interest on debts out of money
needed for food, clothing and other
necessities.