Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-22
Farmers Offer Aid to the
Striking Longshoremen
HATS IN AIR AS lLA STRIKERS
CHEER PLEDGE OF
FARMERS

West Stayton. ore. May 1.-THE
striking longshoromen OF Portland
we're greatly surprised and highly
elated yesterday morning. when a
delegation OF three farmers from
the local of the United Farmers
Leagu at Tigard, Oregon, appeared
at the picket line on the Waterfront
pledging their solidarity with tho
strikers and Offering to supply
foodstuffs for the relief kitchen.
Farmers Waking Up
This was something entirely now
in the experience of these workers.
If they had ever thought of the
farmers in any manner before. il
was as group In the hazy dis
lance who could by no possible
chance be interested in their well
fare. This action brought wildly
home TO the longshoremen that the
small farmers are beginning to be
very much aroused over the same
conditions that the longshoremen
are fighting against,and are COM
mencing to understand that they
cannot gain their freedom from
a solidarity OF purpose and unity
their miserable conditions without
in struggle between the toilers OF
the countryside and the tolers of
the towns and cities.
When the fun significance of this
act on the part OF the farmers
broke upon the minds of the two
hundred or more longshoremen,
hats flew into the air and cheer
went up that was heard for blocks
along the waterfront.
Pioketing Farmer Speaks
At the Tigard local meeting of
the United Farmers League where
the motion TO support the strike
was unanimously adopted by the
assembled farmers, a farmer who
had been in to Portland TO deliver
a load of chickens described how
he had met the longshoremen down
on the waterfront and had joined
| their picket line for the day. He
said: we poor farmers believe i'm
organization and militant action,
and we should all be in there help
ing those strikers fight for a high
er standard of living and the right
to have their organization recog-
nized." Pledges were Immediately
made by the farmers, one small
dairyman promising five gallons Of
milk daily, others potatoes, beans,
fruit, etc.
Will Help in Strike
| When the farmers committee
went in to Portland TO report their
action to the strikers, they went
direct to the waterfront, where the
rank and file longshoremen were
plcketing the harbor I'VE do not
trust the bureaucratic leaders" of
the lila international Longshore-
mems Association, affiliated to the
AFLO, who sit in offices and confer
with MIRA officials to call off the
strike" stated the farmers repre-
sentatives in telling of their ac-
tion. "The longshoremen, like the
small farmers, are learning TO rely
on their own rank and file elected
leadership. SO we spoke with the
strikers themselves and asked
where they want us To bring the
food. Thy are opening a food kit
chen to feed the families Of strill-
ers, and We will deliver regularly
as much food as we can collect,
to help them win their strike"
Backed BY State UFL
The action of the Tlgard local
has been heartily endorsed by the
state Executive Committee Of the
United Farmers League Of Oregon,
and a call is being sent out to all
locals in the state to support the
rank and file of the striking long
shoremen by sending resolutions
and food contributions.
-UFL Correspondent