The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-04-13
STICK TO YOUR GUNS
BY BEN FIELD

into Purcell's barn and MIXED that
uich bastard's cows, and the way
they went cunning thru the town
and bust into the Red Cross to
give their starved families some
grub. Every word there is like
one of thSn big Ajax shells. Every
damned farmer in the country
should make this his guide for ac-
ton, his bullseye. His eyes burn
as if he were using giant lights
and seeing for the first time miles
of earth never visible to the naked
eye. rolling to new horizon.
We come into the lawyers office
with Fred's story. On the very
same day that Cook, the store
keeper, rented the farm to Fred
he began dickering with a bunch of
bootleggers. On the day Fred
moved on the farm, he sold it to
the bootleggers. Fred found him
self up the creek because foxy old
Cook never signed the lease. The
bootleggers promised to let Fred
use the land provided he got his
family off it. Fred went to the
organization for help. We told
him on no account to do that be-
cause the bootleggers only wanted
to use him as a fence. That meant
that Fred couldn't plant a crop.
Then the hotelkeeper's wife, who
has mortgage on his cows, near
ing he was going to be evicted,
started yelping for her money.
Fred offered her a of the II cows.
She wants spot cash. As cows are
all the way down, that means he
will have to sell all to give her
the money unless the farmers stop
her. Cook promised to pay 1925
if Fred moved. That was only a
stall. He won't give him a cent
now.
The lawyer is a gentle, softspoken
Irishman, Jeffersonian Democrat,
defeated in the last county cleo
tions. On the wall diploma, "Vir-
gionio to Wit" On the mantle
piece model of a sailing ship in a
bottle.
He says, County Judge Weller
won't give you an equity restrain
ing order. According to the law
you have another recourse. So
long as you have another recourse,
no injunction is granted to pre-
vent evictions. Your recourse is
suing for damages after you are
evicted."
Fred is launched up, his swearS
hands gripping the chair.
That's the law" says the law
yer.
Fred cries out, "Do you know
what that means ?"
at means that they've got to
place your cattle, house them. If
anything goes wrong with your
cattle during the process of evic-
ton, you can sue them"
Fred wrestles with his tongue.
"My cattle, my cattle. My wife,
my children. No roof, no milk.
My cattle. If they evict me, do
you know what that means? 1t
means go to the welfare, go to the
poor mans home. Do you know
what that means? NV cattle!"
The lawyer lunches up his soft
shoulders as if to protect his paw.
Have you gone to see this man
Cook again."
"That fox, I did. l told him
straight from the shoulder. Now
he's hiding in some hole from u.s."
He looks sharply at Miller when
Fred saws Gus" He says, "Mor-
ally, you're right. You're right to
stick to your Guns.
Fired cries, "Sure, that's it. We
should stick to our guns"
The lawyer flies up his hand,
with his expensive shirt sleeve
failing behind. "But there's the
law. My advice is no violence.
You'll be playing around with a
half-cocked pistol. That1l just
give them their chance as it gave
them their chance at the steelwire
factory. Riot, shoot down a man.
and set the whole country against
you"
Fred snorts.
The lawyer bits his lip. He
says patiently, They'll crush your
cooperative or whatever YOU have
there. The honorable way would
be for them to let you stay on.
My advice is sell your stuff, eat
up the money"
Sweat, after effects of the Ar
gonne gas, drfPs from Fred's face.