The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-06-25
Continued from Page ~
By C. A. HATHAWAY

continued: Added to the economic
crisis of robbery by finance capital
under Rooseyelt's New Deal farm
lands have been visited by the
worst drought in the nations his
tory. 1t affects seriously thirty
states. The area most affected is
the Minnesota, Dakotas and East
ern- Montana grain belt. This area
burned like a desert with the live
stock.
Not only the cattle but also farm
ers' children suffered from the
effect Of the dust storms during
early June. Many families were
driven out of drought area to save
the children Government officials
admit that single heavy losses dur
ing the next period can hardly be
avoided even though there would
be a double rainfall during the re-
mainder of the season.
In this national calamity. Roose-
welt has failed to rescue hundreds
Of thousands of drought stricken
farmers and starving live stock.
Propaganda filled the newspapers.
Congress appropriated S525, 000, 900.
Part of this money is to 90 for the
buying of cattle, but the first con-
Germ even here is the mortgage
holders. For the farmers cattle
which is mortgaged the government
pays So to $40 head for the best
cattle which in the case of poor
farmers, goes mostly to the money
lenders. Farmers protesting these
prices are demanding $40 to S25 per
head and that the money go to the
farmers, not mortgage-holders."
Puro told Of the protests of South
Dakota farmers to Secretary of
Agriculture Wallace during a recent
visit. Wallace replied to the farm
ers' delegation: These relief prices
are not regular market prices.
Those who don't want to sell can
keep their cattle" An example of
administration cynicism in face of
unbearable suffering and misery of
drought-stricken farmers. THE
drought" continued Puro, reveals
more than anything else the Grim
inal nature of the destruction pro-
gram Of the New Deal. 1t has
brought the entire nation, particu-
larly the poor of the city and coun-
try face to face with a famine STU
alton. Instead of coming to the
rescue of the famine stricken popu-
lation, Wallace and Tugwell well
come the drought, declaring that it
destroys surplus Wallace prom
ised unprecedented prosperity to
the Northwest people in the present
drought situation if they adhere to
the A. A. A. crop destruction pro-
gram.
Unprecedented prosperity for
profiteers, food SPECTATORS and rich
farmers who hold the wheat to carry
over other food surplllses-yes For
them the drought is a welcome
event. For poor farmers and mid
die farmers, drought means further
impoverishment, loss of crops, live
stock and even farms"
Puro then proposed a special
drought manifesto with the points
noted above, declaring I'm the face
Of this situation, farmers have no
other alternative than struggle
against this added robbery and OPP
preston for the benefit of the rich
under the guise of drought relief"
The concluding section of Puro's
report stressed the organizational
problems of building U. F. L. units
in townships and counties, penetra-
lion of locals of old line organiza-
lions. strengthening the efforts to
unite the farmers, struggle for
drought relief and for the Farmers
Emergency Relief Bill.
Speaking on the FER.B, Puro
declared: In launching the Farm
ers. Emergency Relief Bill the Com
mlmist Party has again proved it
self to be the only Party concerned
with the lot of the ruined, drought
stricken farmers" He then ex-
planned the bill in detail, stating
that it was endorsed by the U.F.L.
Executive and urging its endorse
ment by the convention.
Urging greater organizational and
united front activities, Puro stated:
sAll mass struggles and activities
must be combined with orgarliza-
Sional measures. 1t is not enough
10 arouse our fellow farmers. We
must draw them into, not occa-
Iional, but daily struggles. We must
win members of the Farmers Union
Holiday Association, and agricul-
Iural co-operatives for united
struggle for initial demands for