The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-09-23
The Communist Position
on the Farmers Movement
By ]. BARNETT

One of the tactics Of the 'New
DEAL in agriculture is to split the
unity of the ruined farmers and city
workers in their struggles for relief.
This is purpose of such measures
as the processing tax; tax on farm
produce being made into food and
clothes. Such schemes, claiming to
be for the relief of the impoverished
farmers, throw tremendous burdens
of taxes upon the workers. who are
the ttilk of consumers of these prod
ucts. Thus the aim is to turn the
interests of the farmers against the
workers.
At the same time, in spite of the
pompous claims and rosy words about
these relief plans, all of them are
actually aimed to further squeeze
down and exploit the poorest, the
small, and the middle farmers and
TO benefit the bankers, trusts, land
'ords, and rich farmers. Thus, these
new deals" far from separating the
interests of the most oppressed sec
tons of the country from the city
workers, should actually serve to draw
them closer together and to lay a
broader basis for the united struggle
gainst common enemies.
The Farmer Labor Party
Along with all this hot air and
deception, the movement for Farm
er-Labor Party is being revived. It
calls for unity, but in practice does
everything to betray the interests of
both farmers and labor. 1t is only
necessary to look at the record of
the Farmer-Labor Party of Mime
sofa to see that it carries out exactly
the same policy as the other capt.
talist parties. In Minnesota under
Farmer Labor rule, farmers are evict-
ed, sold out for taxes, and the Job
less are dubbed just as viciously as
in any state where the Democrats or
Republicans have been elected to
power. We know that any such Farm
er-Labor Party is bound to follow
the interests of banks and big bust
ness, for 1t proceeds upon the prin-
ciple of following the rules" "regu-
lations," and flaws" made by these
leeches for their own purposes. The
Farmer-Labor movement is not based
upon program of powerful mass
struggles of the farmers and workers.
the only forces which will win con-
cessions and real relief.
Not less serious is the fact that the
forces of reaction plan to recruit
from the rural masses terroristic,
black fascist bands to be used as
committees of order" "vigilantes,"
as strike breakers and armed units
against the workers, for willing can
non fodder in case of war.
Farmer Worker Solidarity
The question of maintaining the
solidarity and fighting strength OF
farmers and workers, the question of
whether the bankers or the workers
will lead the aroused farmers is of
enormous Importance at this period.
The Open Letter to Party members
discusses the dangers and problems
of the Party in the farmers move
nlent. Above all, the task of the Par
ty Is to prove ''in all struggles that
it is the vanguard, the leader, that
strikes most courageously against the
common enemy, namely finance cap
ltal." We must become powerful
Party rooted in the basic industries.
Further, an absolutely necessary but
auxiliary means of leading the mass
es of farmers is the winning of our
influences through revolutionary
work among the farmers themselves.
in organizing their struggles and
bringing them into action against
our common enemy.
The Open Letter has taken the
initiative in calling for a struggle
around burning issues of the great
mass Of farmers. A struggle for the
cancellation of the mortgage, rent
and tax debts of the poorest, the
small. and the middle farmers, and