Evening star., 1933-01-26
Secession Resolution Viewed
AS Protest of Agriculture

Back Of the secession resolution in
troduced into the North Dakota Legis-
iature the public recognizes a condi-
ton that is matter of great concern
to the country. The measure would
create two nations, one of them, 1.-The
Financial East" to include New Eng
land. New York. New Jersey and Penn
sylvania. While the measure was Or
dered published" to the country and
is interpreted as satire. the people are
advised to give more attention to agri-
cultural conditions.
Times, was simply to draw attention
to what the Western agriculturists feel
Is situation in which they are being
made the goat" The Times concludes
AS might be expected, the introduc-
ton OF the proposal has received wide
publicity, which was probably what its
author aimed at, hoping in this way
to focus the attention Of the country
on what he and others in the wheat
and corn country consider discrimina-
ton against the agricultural section
by the financial East"
- X X
"It indicates a psychological trend"
according to the Asbury Park Evening
Press. that the Nation cannot afford to
overlook. Thousands in the Midwest
are dissatisfied with conditions to the
point where they believe drastic meas
ures are necessary. The Iowa farmers
strike prior to the election and the re-
cent refusal Of farmers to subject them
selves to foreclosure and tax sale pro-
ceedings indicate this. The
average citizen in the Eastern States
has not felt the brunt Of the depression
so severely as the Midwest farmer. A
glance at Midwest newspapers, with
their page after page Of sheriff sale
advertisements, indicates the gravity OF
their plight. In many cases the ma
jority of taxpayers in the Community
have been sold out Of their homes and
the lands from which they should be
able to derive their living. They have
suffered not merely reduced incomes
they have lost everything. Sc
cession Is impossible, but the East, hav.
ing long ignored the fate of the farm
belt, should heed the psychological ten
dency that suggests it. The destiny OF
America calls for something better than
q Nation divided against itself, with
one section justifiably disgruntled be-
cause 1t has not received fair share OF
econon1c welfare. When the East again
gets on its feet 1t should help the Mid.
west do likewise, with national plan
ming on . scale that includes every sec
ton and every class"
\ ~
'There are well established and ap-
parently tnSurmountable differences be-
tween the East and the West" declares
the Lincoln State Journal. "They prob
ably cannot be overcome entirely Al
best only partial solution Is possible
and that after both groups have made
considerable sacrifices. The industrial
East has one interest, the agricultural
West another. These interests are In q
large measure opposed to each other
The North Dakota man was only voicing
the complaint Of agriculture in the
Middle West. It is possible that divi-
sion OF the country might be arranged
which would ease the problems Of both
the East and West. and both sections
would benefit. But this Is q rash step to
take to meet more or less temporary
situation. It would not be long until
both sections would be confronted with
solved by two nations and which would
be simple for one."
"The grievance seems to be mutual,
advises the Akron Beacon-Journal. 1--WE
have often heard the Eastern States
complain that 1t is the West that Is
ruling Congress and soaking the citizens
Of the East with nuisance and income
taxes. While the North Dakota resolu-
ton will not get out Of the burning
ground Of the committee to which It Il
referred. The very proclamation Of such
. oqptinlIt 9 evidence that yhat the
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