The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-22
1000 Dakota Farmers.
Fight Injunction Ain,ed
At United Farm League.
Meet Mar. IT; Demand
Freedom of IL jailed
Farmers
Special to the Daily worker

tSPeciai 10 the Danny HOfkerI
SIsSETON, S. D., March III
One Of the most important of re-
cent struggles of the ruined and
impoverished farmers of the coun-
try reaches a new stage when more
than a thousand farmers are ex-
pected to gather here as the Fifth
Judicial Court meets on March 81
to decide on the permanency Of the
Injunction which has been handed
down against any and all further
meetings Of the United Farmers
League and the Unemployed Coun-
ellis in this state.
For the past few weeks a sharp
struggle has been going on between
the organizations of the farmers,
weighted down by mortgage debts,
and the bankers, insurance COM
panies, etc, who are determined to
put an end to all farmer resistance
to evictions and foreclosures.
Jail II Farmers
Out of the struggles led by the
U. F. L. against evictions and fore
closures in this state, II farmers are
now in Jail, including julius Wal
stad, state organizer Of the UFL,
and an injunction has been handed
down against 80 other militant
farmers forbidding them to partake
in the slightest action in defense
of their interests. This arrest is
similar to the recent falling Of Al
fred Tiala, national secretary Of the
U. p. l., for six months. These IT
farmers were Jailed as a result Of
the struggle that took place on Jan.
81 in defense of a farmer whose
truck was being seized by the
Morgan dominated international
Harvester as security for debt,
and in defense of Henry Nieland,
old homestead farmer who was be-
ing evicted from his farm for non
payment.
More than 500 farmers, led by the
U. F. L., defied the sheriff and
moved Nieland back into his farm.
State police arrested II Of the most
militant of the farmers, and jailed
them at Sisseton. The farmers re-
piled to this action by swarming
into the town threatening to tear
the Jail down, an action that was
prevented by the leadership of the
U. F. L. The state court issued in
functions against any collections Of
funds or aid for the jailed farmers,
or any actions by the U. F. L.
To this the farmers replied by
calling a State Conference of the
u. F. l.. March 6 to 8, confer
ence which was held in the face
of open intimidation and threats
by the state police power, the
court house Of the jailed farmers
being guarded by $50 deputies
with four macl2lNe guns.
Also, an attempt to evict Nieland
was baked by the militant protest
of another meeting of farmers be-
fore the court house. In addition,
more than $50 new members have
joined the forbidden United Farm
ers' League, bringing the total state
membership to over 1 900 in Roberts
County, the scene OF the actions,
alone.
Indignation among the farmers
here is at the boiling point. They
are determined to hold their farms
against the rich bankers, and their
court injunctions and foreclosures.
The influence of the United Farm
ers' League has grown immensely,
In preparation for the court
hearing on the 9th, the q. F.. L.
has engaged David Levinson, prom
inent I. L. D. attorney Of Philadel-
phia, who has come to Dakota to
lead the fight against the court in
| junction, Levinson was given an
enthusiastic welcome by more than
1000 farmers at a meeting at the
court house on Saturday.
More than az kilograms have
been sent by farmers meetings here
to Roosevelt and Governor Berry of
South Dakota, protesting against