The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-28

Farmers Win by Mass Action
Why has this injunction been ap-
Piled for? About a year ago Julius
WaIstsd, his father. Knute Wal
sted, and other militant farmers
began to organize the farmers in
Roberts County, South Dakota. into
the United Farmers League. These
militant farmers organized their fell
low farmers on the basis of strug-
giles on behalf Of the farmers. United
Farmers League Action Committees
soon became famous throughout
South Dakota because they made
any sheriff sale or eviction virtually
impossible in Roberts County. They
also compelled the county authori-
ties to grant more relief to the
farm families and their stock than
was given in any other county
Farmers in other counties soon be-
gan to Glamour to be organized also
into the United Farmers League.
Julius WalStad was elected as the
State Organizer of the UFL., while
the farmers promised to take care
of his family so that he could or
ganize. South Dakota became a
strongly organized state and julius
Walstad and his comrades became
known as the best farm organizers
in the country.
But Walstad and his comrades
did not organize farmers only.
They made contact with the city
workers, especially working closely
with the unemployed and assisted
them in organizing also. conduct
ing many joint fights for immedi-
ate relief for both workers and
farmers.
The plight of the workers and
farmers in South Dakota affected
the small businessmen deeply. Wal
stad and his co-workers, therefore
went to these small town business
men and said, You are almost as
hard hit as we workers and farm
ers. You should support us in oul
struggles to keep the farmers or
the farms and in our demands for
getting relief for the working people
in the towns and on the farms. ,
A considerable section of small
business people were won over. ever
to the extent of taking part in the
mass struggle against sheriff sale,
and evictions. Others among the
businessmen, of course. wavered
But they did not fight against the
farmers and became a neutralized
element.
Unite Against Bankers
In this way it became impossible
for the capitalists to organize any
support for the bankers. insurance
companies and harvester company
in these sections of South Dakota
Governor Berry and Attorney
General Conway, as Iackeys and
servants of the bankers and big
trusts, took the only course left
to them. They resorted to the
weapon of injunction.
But this injunction will be smash
ed right in the faces of these Wal
Street servants. Besides the United
Farmers League and the Unem-
ployed Councils. there are also being
built the Communist Party anc
Young Communit League.
In the course of the struggle Ia
organize for their own interests
many of the militant farmers and
workers have joined the Communist
Party, convinced that it is the only
Party of the toiIers.
New Deal in Action
The South Dakota case represents
an attempt to push through by force
sheriff sales and evictions under the
New Deal, by trying to make any
mass action of farmers and workers
illegal. This new attack of the
bankers, insurance companies ano
fruits and their political tools against
the militant farmers and workers
their organizations and their fight
ing leaders, must be fought back
by offensive mass struggle Jointly
by the workers and the toiling farm
ers. 1t is necessary to turn this
struggle clearly into political
struggle A beginning made in this
direction at the United Front mass
meeting Of toiling farmers at
Mitchell, South Dakota on March 6
Z and when Knute Walstad, father
of Julius Wslstad and one of the
pioneer farmers of South Dakota
was demonstratively nominated and
unanimously endorsed as a candi-
date for governor Another leading
militant farmer, John Hanson. was
nominated for sheriff of Roberts
County.
1t is the task of the Communist
Party now to take up these nomi-
and make Walstad and Han
son the official Communist candi-
oates and rally around them broad
support from the toiling masses
The Party must connect up the
question Of the defense of these
militant farmers with the energetic
political struggle which must be
waged againt the rule Of the bank
ers.
At the same time it is necessary
for all workers and farmers organi-
cations to rally around this case
and to provide an adequate and able
legal defense for these militant
farmer and workers. The case is
being defended in court BY the In
ternational Labor Defense and the
United Farmers League.
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