The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-06-21


homeste aders out at a moment
when the farmers weren't pre-
pared. The U.F.L. answered by
holding a mass meeting at Sisse-
ton where the support Of the local
business people was enlisted, and
then marching three hundred
strong to the Nieland farm and
putting the evicted family back on
their place.
This gave the banks and insur-
ance companies their chance. The
banker controlled courts brought
charges of "riOting" against seven
teen farmers, and issued sweep
ing injunction against the South
Dakota United Farmers League
and the Unemployed Councils.
This injunction prevents the orga-
nizations from soliciting members,
holding meetings, or carrying on
any activity wha5 soever. 1t de-
prives the toiling farmers of South
Dakota of every right of freedom
of speech and assembly" with
(which the Constitution of the
United States supposedly endOws
them.
The charge of "riOting" is a
desperate attempt to put the most
experienced leaders of the farm
ers behind prison bars in order to
crush the United Farmers League
: Julius Walstad, state secretary Of
( the U.F.L. and his father Knutt
Walstad, one of the most respected
citizens of Sisseton, the indepen
dent workers ard farmers candl
date for the govenorship OF Souti
= Dakota. and the leading Commu
l mist in the state, are the two mel
: that the Northwestern Mutual In
surance Company wants to get.
n Farmers Gain Court Victories
The trial opened with two sig
nal vic cries for the toiling farm
t ers of South Dakota. The cour
d agreed to drop three of the fou
e charges against the defendants
h and is concentrating its attack o
: ability to prove "riOting." Thi
automatically changes the indlct
ment from that of felony to mi:
$ demeanor, but in South Dakota TT
q misdemeanor of "rioting" carrie
= with it the severe maximum SCI
= tence of 364 days in prison. II
: court is obviously afraid that II
y Jury will refuse to convict the Wa
Is stads on a criminal charge.
vainly hopes that the organize
-. farmers of South Dako'a will r
=, = lax their vigilance in the erro
~ eous belief that the trial is alreat
= won.
ID The second preliminary victor
er of the defense was that OF takll
It, the case out of the hands OF I
er vicious injunction Judge Babcoc
who has shown by his every
ton a determination to crush t
GU U.F.L. and the organized NOV
Ell ment of small farmers behind
'st The new Judge, Fleeger, is I
known in Roberts county, but
farmers will remember that it "
al he who gave Niles Cochran v
e ious prison sentence for his mi
nd tant activity in the Iowa ia
ak strike.
,rt Henry PAUL representing the
nv lfarna&ional Labor Defense and
INF American Ctvl liberties Union
NJ conducting the court defense b
~ brilliant and energetic fashi
'Iu During the first three days OF
De- trial. he succeeded in demolishi
the States main lines of defer
co and demonstrating that the pro
"a cution witnesses are either p'
=. iurers or men who testify only
10 cause of their hatred of the VI
go Star states witness Turner "
he is also the lawyer for the ms
NO ance company and the man m
he responsible for the organized
of preston of militant farmers
Roberts county, was compelled
admit on the witness stand t
the he had been accused of jury b,
res, ing.
ned Sees With WIND
,in D. F. Wolfe, a local busin
Lii man was called by the State
prove that the II defendants
otS' voted to move out the Nielands
lcal the January 81 meeting. The
ion Tense lawyer and the court
the learned what remarkable eyes
will Wolfe has. Though he was sit
oIo in the rear of the crowded CT
A. room, though everyone else "
WI: few exceptions stood up for
OF rising vote. he was able to tes
hey that the II defendants. who v
Too all in the front Of the hall. 81
up with the rest. The puzzle
i'll somewhat solved when Wolfe
'lilU formed the court under cross
sues animation that he sees with
zen