The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-02-02
METROPOLITAN Is
LATEST TO CALL
OFF FARM SALES
Local Banks Will Push
Evictions

WV W LOiNhs DCC. L. - he
Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company today joined the
other five large insurance com
panies, including the Prudential in
announcing a suspension Of fore
closure sales on farms against which
they hold mortgages.
Inis action on the part Of these
companies Is a ciear-eut Yindication
OF the militant mass action of the
farmers throughout the country-and
particularly in the West-in thwart-
ing foreclosure sales and resisting. BIZ
organization, the evictions of farmers
ana their families. At the same time
II reveals in the most striking man
ner the depth Of the capitalist crisis.
and particularly as it has affected the
farmers Of the United States.
In relation to the insurance com
panies themselves, It indicates their
particularly shakey character at pres
ent, inasmuch as for years mort
cages on farm properties have been
considered gilt edge" securities.
Fear that the farmers would com
pletely repudiate their formal in
debtedness to them is seen as one
OF the major considerations in the
DECISIONS of the leading insurance
companies in announcing their sus-
pension of foreclosure sales.
At the same time it is clear that
TINS action in no way solves the
crisis for the farmers, as shown BY
the fact that whereas $1,7O0, ooo, 600
in mortgages is held by the insurance
compsnies-more than $4,000 900 900
is held by local banks who are pro
ceeding as usual to eyict the ruined
farmers. These local banks are for
the most part agents OF big Eastern
banks and trust companies.
What is more, the suspension ac-
ton OF the insurance companies ex-
pressly stipulates that it shall affect
only those farms occupied by owners;
that where tenants occupy the farms.
the sheriffs will continue their at
tempts to foreclose and evict.
Delegation to Ala. Legislature
MONTGOMERY, Ala, Feb. 1. -
Bringing forward immediate demands
for relief, mass delegation of Ala
bama farmers and sharecroppers are
expected here on Feb. % at the
opening session of the state legis-
lature
The delegation is being organized
by the Alabama Farmers Relief Con
ference which has called upon the
Sharecroppers Union, the United
Farmers League and other farmers
organizations to join the united front
fight for demands which include:
Food and clothing for all starving
farmers and their families; mora
toriuns on all debts: no foreclosures
or seizure of stock; the right of the
sharecreppers TO sell their own cot
ton; the release of all jailed troopers
and the right TO organize; the right
TO vote without any restrictions thru
poll taxes, ETC.; the immediate OPEN
ing of the schools that have been
closed payment Of back wages to
teachers; free hot lunches and trans
portation for ali school children; no
discrimination against Negro farm
ers, choppers, school children, etc.
5000 Farmers RUN" Sale
DESHLER, O., Feb. 1.-The sum
of SALT is what the City Loan and
Savings Co. Of Bowling Green, O.,
is due to get out Of an auction sale
Of livestock and farm implements to
satisfy a debt owed by Cecil Kist-
ner, local farmer,
The banks hard luck resulted from
the fact that 1000 farmers responded
to the advertisements of the auc-
ton, and bought articles offered for
sale at prices ranging from to IL
cents, with the idea of returning
everything sold to Kistner.
A pillow sold for three cents. two
horses and two cows fetched Is cents
apiece, and household goods went for
a total of l. cents.
The farmer said that his loan
made three years ago was for $3.50
and that he has paid interest total
ing S324-and he still owes $500.
A group of farmers wives of the
vicinity served meals to the farmers
when they became hungry while
waiting for the auction sale to begin.