The Washington times., 1933-10-21
Split Among Farmers
: May Crimp Strike

DES MONIES, Iowa, OCC. IL
G.N.s0 1.-The revolt Of the farm
ers of the United States, in an
effort to bring to the country a
realization of their desperate
plight and force the Government
to accede to their determined de-
annands, began today.
It. marked the first move on
the part Of any major group Of
citizens to challenge the efficacy
of the new deal, the NRA, or,
more particularly. the Agricultural
Adjustment Act.
In spite Of last minute assur-
ances and appeals from the gov
ernment officials, hundreds Of
thousands of farmers were pre-
pared to inaugurate their plan
not to buy anything but necessi-
ties, not to sell any goods. not to
pay any interest, due. on debts
or taxes, and, above; all, to fight
to the last ditch to keep the
farmers in their homes in spite
of threatened mortgage fore
closures.
Milo Reno the Leader
The individual center of this
revolt was a bushy-haired, deter
mined fellow who led the farm
strike of last year. He is Milo
Reno, president of the National
Farmers Holiday Association.
About him devolves the threat of
the farmers to teach the people
of the United States, especially
"the Eastern bankers" that the
farmers must be given the right
to earn a living.
The Importance Of this strike
is not lesSened by the fact that
hundreds of thousands of farm
.ers are refusing to join in it. In
spite Of statements Of three Mid
western Governors attacking the
status Of the farmer and despite
the activities of Reno and other
farm leaders, there is no positive
proof that the strike will reach
the proportions expected by sew
eral Of the leaders.
The truth is, according to many
farmers, the agricultural element
throughout the country is split
wide open. What Iowa wants,
Nebraska may disagree with. The
latter group opposes strikes. So
1t goes. To say that 20 or 33
States are in unison in favoring a
strike is getting close to a wild
guess.
In view Of this, statements that
100000 farmers-or even 1,O00,.
900 farmers-are prepared to act
In concert against the Govern
ment's recovery program are likely
to run into strong contradictions.
Iowa Up In Arms
That dissatisfaction, as repre-
Sented in the strike begun today,
is in the air, cannot be doubted.
But 1t has various reasons behind
its separate movements.
The Dakotas, which actually
produced little wheat this year, are
upset because the market is low.
Therefore the boycott. Minnesota,
in the same straits, fingers, but
is willing to take up the boycott.
Iowa, seething for months with
revolt against foreclosures and
threatened foreclosures of mort
cages, is up in arms.
In the midst of this, the Ma
tional Farmers Holiday Associa-
ton announces that it will StarVe
out the nation in order to force it
to realize that the farmer is get
ting a raw deal, not new deal.
Bankers Their Bane
The Eastern banker became the
bane of their existence and the
butt of their anger.
This, for instance, is what E, c.
Ellison. Lawton, Iowa, a farmer
well respected throughout the
State, has to say about the state
Of things:
"There may have been q slight
increase in the market prices Of
the farmers produce, but no in
GREASE that amounts to anything
lm the way Of saving the homes
e the people. People seem to