The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-06-20
Drought Tigltens A ~ Yoke on Farms
DRIVE SMALL FARMERS OFF LAND
By ARTHUR NEWTON

Wisconsin offers an excellent OPP
portunity to examine the tactics of
the liberal" Roosevelt administra-
tons dealing with the emergency"
drought condition. The conditions
in other areas, notably the Dakotas
and sections of Minnesota, have
been worse. Therefore, in examining
the planning" to meet the drought
which the wise men in the Depart
ment of Agriculture and Relief Di-
rector Hopkins have framed, we
cannot be accused of picking out
the "abnormally" bad area.
How severe conditions are can be
learned only from the farmers
themselves. But in line with our de-
sire to avoid exsggeration, state
ments from official sources will be
given. Under date Of June l, Charles
L. Hill, chairman of the Wisconsin
Department of Agriculture and
Markets, is quoted: THE situation
is beyond comprehension-never
before have we had anything like
it at this time of the year. Small
grains burned out in almost every
section of the state-pasture lands
baked-hay fields barren, early peas
turning yellow, tobacco plants dry
ing out as soon as they are set, corn
burning out in the knolls."
This is a picture of the crop
situation. In view of the condition
Of affairs, it is instructive to dis
cover what the men with the big
brains think about all this. The A.A.
A. administrator. Chester @. Davis.
to the extent Of nearly three COL
umns in the Sunday New York
Times of June 10th, talks soothingly
of the far-sighted planning which
the government has been prepar-
ing to deal with exactly this
drought condition. The former "let
alone" policy is castigated, and we
are informed: Not knowing what
relief might come from rains. the
government has been forced to
prepare for the worst in the
certainty that the situation has
gone so far that, come what may,
all the measures planned will be
needed in varying degrees"
Precisely what these plans were
is left mystery, but we are re-
assured that "the government began
three weeks ago to enlarge it's plans.
A new chapter is being bravely
written in the long story of mans
struggle with nature. 1t is also a
new chapter in the history of social
action" Thus Mr.. Davis ballyhoos.
And the big boss in matters agricul-
tural. Secretary Wallace, writes in
a similar vein from Pierre, S. D..
under date Of June 8.
A.A.A. Helps Rich Farmers
But, let us take a closer look at
planning" for which so much credit
is claimed, The knowledge of the
farmers concerning their plight and
the occasional honesty of reporters
attached to the capitalist press,
sometimes combine to reveal what
is taking place In a Milwaukee
newspaper of June we read that
THE movement of starving dairy
COWS out of the Wisconsin areas to
pasture lands further north !.
thus far has been an individualistic,
haphazard proposition. :"
Further evidence on the manner
capitalist planning works. Farm
ers reason that it is cheaper and
better to migrate their herds. They
are obligated to pay back or work
out the feed loans and are resent
full of the poverty restrictions. At
the relief station this reporter
watched while a farmer came in
and was told he had to declare that
his farm was mortgaged for more
than it is worth, and that he had
exhausted all means of credit be-
fore he would be issued an applica-
ton blank. The farmer left in dis
gust. Further; There is no feed