The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-01-19
Nebraska Farmers Union Meet
and the Rank and File


| Union H. G. Keeney, Nebraska president. and John
Simpson, national president glazing baefuy at each
other Keeney has threatened to have the Nebraska org
nZaton secede from the national setup John Simpson, on
receipt of this information speeds away from Washington
to Omaha to make personal plea before the state conven
ton.
In matters of fundamental policy Keeney has real
differences from Simpson. On the minor detail of tactics,
however Keeney believes that the Farmers Union should
sing the praises of Roosevelt and get good jobs in the AAA
for such fellows himself while Simpson, recognizing the
great disconen of the farmers realizes that he must appear
to criticize Roosevelt if he to hold his present job Reno
Parenter and Croker agree with Simpson Kicker editor
of the Farmers Union paper, agrees with Keeney.
Simpson, like all of the officials of the od-lne farm
organizations holds his job by combination of the most
blatant demagogy and having smooth-runnlng machine
the machine must perfectly if the demagogy is to be
put across and the machine alas is not working so we'll
When HERON foT instance refuses 70 Prt GOns pcI
the demagogy fails to get
Now Simpson faced with the prospect of the entire
Nebraska apparatus withdrawing it's support from him
petely and leaving him high and dry
1t is this for power which went on behind the
son would have liked to have kept their battle for power
strictly behind the scenes but factor had injected it
into the situation which offers lot of grief to both
these gentlemen This factor is the RANK AND FILE
AT THE AVERAGE Farmers Union convention, many of
n the delegates perhaps the majority will be handpcked
rich farmers, oil station proprietors and many other
salared staff members of the Farmers Union apparatus
This explains for thing why the convention despite its
show of mitancy endorsed such diScredted relief
ureS as the Frazier BILL the Wheeler bill and similar lega
ton benefttng bankers and rich farmers. However at
every Farmers Union convention and in every Farmers
Union local. there bound to be militant farmers,
ruined middle farmers impoverished poor and small farm
ers This is the real RANK AND FILE and it is this group
OF which both Keeney and Simpson mortay afraid
It this Rank and File which forced the darcoset
war between Keeney and Simpson out into the Open Like
bull dog, the rank and file got its teeth into the matter
and refused to let All Simpson wanted sort
Of vote of confidence and continuation of payments
All Keeney wanted control the state organization
and the right to control the dues payments What they got
tney neither expected wanted.
The rank and file delegates pushed forward the ques-
s On nd te o. da1nor rS EE ag mp
figures ccs of production for Reno and as
taryreasurer to the Farmers Union The rank and file
oteo 10 suspend dues payments I'd the national organza
ton until this matter settled
The rank and file came forward again to defy the eff
forts of the Farmers Union officials prevent them from
forming fighting united fronts with the Nebraska Holiday
the United Farmers League and other militant farm
For while there no fundamental differences between
Simpson and Keeney there is real difference between the
rank and file and the high officials of the Farmers Union
both Simpson and Keeney The rank and file members are
facing foreclosure and eviction Many of them are in actual
need of cash relief CWA work They have confidence in
organized action not in the New Deal" of Roosevelt
nor the fake political of the farm politicians
For this reason they depse Keeney who openly
Roosevelt and they despise Simpson who really snnnorf
cism." ~ ~ Scheen u CRU
That is why Simpsons speech was merely wet blanke
70 the rank and ne delegates who present Thew re-
Jected his praise Of the Frazier and Wheeler bills They
were not impressed by his claims of settling grievances by
bootlickng the politicians. -
But most Of ALL they resented his failure to recoOn;z
their main fighting demand adopted at Chicago and now
nationwide slogan wherever impoverished farmers meet
For Cancellation of Secured Farm Debts
THE HOSTILITY shown to Simpson at Omaha therefore
cannot be understood only in terms of the shan,hat
between Simpson and Keeney The real significance of th
incident lies in the smouderng resentment of the
OF farmers reflected by the rank and file delegates which
es1 INTO lame OF anger when the fight dragged int
ne open Inc flame now threatens to consume both Smn
son and Keeney we'll the rest of the takers in ~
Farmers Union. ~ S IA 'n
The convention shows very clearly the potentia
strength of the RANK AND FILE of the Farmers ITnon
70 this rank and file we send greetings and our whole
hea ted wish hat by digent work. by militant action \,
refusing to be mised by the fakers they NAV vet maxi
tner Farmers Union locals real Instruments in the H@b
against the bankers and mddlemen the protection
md lirroIh ool P-OeNNelOn "