The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-02-03
~AGREAT ENTERPRISE IS
FUNCTIONING NORMALLY"

FUNCIlUVlNI NUkMALLY
The Omaha Bee-News of January Is carried an
editorial with the title Cooperation Pays and with al
subtitle Nebraska Farmers Know This
The two Introductory paragraphs interesting.
Sessions of the Farmers Union of Nebraska
emphasized again the fact that intelligenty directed
cooperative effort brings satisfactory returns.
Reports made showed handsome balance
hand after dividends had been paid and great in
dustrial enterprise is functioning normally"
The remained of the editorial is devoted to glow
ing description of cooperation and what the farmers
get from it.
One fact in the editorial bellies all of the rest More
than fourth of the members of the Farmers Union
of Nebraska dropped during the past year. The total
membership fell from 10000 to $4,000. There were
5000 farmers who weren't convinced of the benefits of
the Farmers Union brand of cooperation"
The Bee-News tells of savings" and dividends ;"
What they have been don't know. What we do know
is that 1000 farmers in Nebraska couldn't stay in the
Farmers Union and pay the membership Dues if they
could pay the dues they didn't feel that the dividends
and savings sufficient make paying propo-
stion
The secret of the of the Farmers Union
according Mr. Hearsts editor lies in the fact that 1t
has been well managed and so has been profitable"
ct has pursued an orderly business course thru
all the years of its existence and for that it
has succeeded"
The bankers, too, and the insurance companies the
Harvester Trust the railroads have also pursued an
derby business course This orderly business course
robbng the farmers and workers according the
best tenets of capitalism For that they have
succeeded in robbing the farmers of practically all they
possess. For that the farmers practically
destitute and face the loss of their homes and other pos
sessions.
The farmers, because they are part of the working
people, the part of the population that works for the rich
have not been able to pursue orderly business
course.
Now when they need real militant leadership to save
themselves the farm leaders hand them out hghsound
ing speeches on cooperation.
The editorial ENDS with the brazen statement that:
Farmers, however situated otherwise, should
make note of the fact that the Farmers Union
showed profit for 1882. Any institution that can
do that, when dealing In farm products at lowest
prices in history, deserves attention"
We agree fully in this Farmers, however situated
otherwise they facing eviction or foreclosure if
their children without overshoes decent under
clothing if there insufficient groceries in the house
to maintain decent living standard should make note
OF the fact that while they have been suffering increasing
misery the Farmers Union of Nebraska showed profit
for 1882
They should also make note of the fact that the
high salaries of the professional farm Leaders came ont
Of these profits which the farmers provided
Any institution that do that when farmers
and their families suffering BEFORE certainly
deserves attention. William Randolph Hearst's
Omaha Bee-News states
Those farm leaders who, during these times which
mean much misery for the farmers can still talk about
cooperation show that they are actually traitors to the
impoverished farmers
From the ranks of the farmers will come real lead
ers who will not chatter about cooperation and oct
the praise of Mr.. Randolph Hearst but will lead the
farmers the struggle for relief against the class that
Mr. Hearst represents the bankers and loan companies
and will save the farmers homes from these sharks
1t is in Nebraska where the Farmers Union leaders
have talked of cooperation that the farmers are learn
ing just what real cooperation means They have stop
ped evcons and foreclosures they have kept farmers
on 5he land and in their homes that they may i've
SO that they will be driven out on the HIGHWAYS r.
starve.
The cooperation that must organize is the united
front OF all the destitute farmers to keep them on tb
land and to win immediate relief The kind of s'coopera
non that the professional farm leaders engage in