Montana labor news., 1935-11-07
ADDRESS MADE BY
A. P. BRUCE
Commissioner of Agriculture
Talks at Farmers Union Con-
vention.

by A. p. Bruce OF kalispell, Montana,
State Commissioner OF Agriculture. He
said
q deem it an honor and a great pri-
vilege to be here. On coming to Hell
ena last spring, | feel | was especially
fortunate in meeting several OF the
men you have selected to represent
you and your interests in the state OF
Montana. Since, | am sure, many Of
them are present here today | shall not
mention any names to avoid any pos
sible embarrassment"
In my contacts with these. men !
found them to be earnest, straight
thinking men who placed principles
above party labels, always ready to
work for and support any movement
which, in their judgment would be bene-
fetal not only to their own group but
to society as a whole. This has been
proved in their support OF the national
administration and also in their coop
Grafton with our state administration
when questions affecting own state
were being decided. | congratulate you
on your selection OF these men, and
may | repeat, | consider myself for
tunate in meeting them when | did,
particularly since the duties and acti-
vities Of the department we represent
are so closely allied with the producer,
laborer, as well as consumer interest OF
our state. And, may | say that as
long as this responsibility is ours, our
aim and purpose shall be to cooperate
to the fullest extent possible with every
movement and activity that has for its
objective the building up and strength
ening Of the agricultural interests OF the
state.
We have sometimes said that the last
four or five years have been an inter
esting period in the history OF man,
and this would be rue if it were NOT
for the tragedy with it all. In this
country Of r - by far the richest
country under the sun we have
warehouses bullying and Overlooking
with the necessities of life and at the
same time millions Of men, women and
children actually starving all over this
broad land Of ours.
I'VE are being told by some that
these conditions recure periodically and
that really nothing can be done about
it. This theory an ever increasing num-
Der of our people are not ready to
accept. There is a very definite feel
ing that something is wrong and that
something should be done about it and
that so-called economic law is not like
the laws Of nature. We are no long
er under the illusion that our economic
system is fixed for US. Among the
masses OF men, as well as the more
sophisticated, the idea prevails that our
economic system is a man-made system.
And being man-made, it can be remade.
There are many theories as to how it
can be remade, but men are conscious
as they never were in any previous de-
preston that the present depression
was unnecessary. 1t is not an "act of
Cod like an earthquake, but is due
to the failure of human intelligence or
the blind power Of entrenched privil-
eye, or both.
"What we need is to become intelli-
gent and help unity the power of the
unprivileged masses for the setting up
of an economic system whose produc-
tive processes shall function for hui
man use, not for the profit Of a single
class.
what then is the answer What is
the solution? Our national as well as
our state administration has, we believe,
labored earnestly and sincerely to find
the final solution. Much has been &C
complished, much still remains to be
done. To me the most encouraging sign
for better days to come is that we are
all of us thinking and showing an in
@terest in government as we have never
done before. | believe as a direct re-
suit OF this growing interest has been
born the idea that cooperation and CO.
operative societies will at least, furnish
a part of the answer to the problems Of
today.
This ever-broadening inquiry into CO.
operation and its promise for the future
of civilization is being supported by
practically all the Christian churches in
the land, Catholic and Protestant alike,
and this, as | see it, is a sign of encour-
agement for us as well as to the world.
We believe that the Farmers Union CO.
operative movement as organized in
Montana and several other states is a
movement in keeping with the think
ing Of the times. The opportunities
and possibilities for further develop
ment in the cooperative fields are al
most limitless, and with honest efficient
management we should go far. IN
doubtedly, there will be setbacks now
and then, discouraging differences Of
opinion, perhaps, that may threaten for
the time being the very foundations Of
the cooperative structure, but remem-
Der that this has been the experience
and history Of all forward movements.
81 was much impressed with Secre-
tary Wallace's closing remarks in his
talk at Great Falls a month or SO ago.
Having outlined at some length what
they hoped to accomplish he warned
his audience that it could not be done
at once, that it would take them, may
|be quite a long time, and that it might
even be necessary that we experience
a change OF heart and learn to live
with each other to bring about the
needed adjustments.
"In other words, this means coop
Grafton not only by the producer and
labor interests, but it must include all
other interests as well, for after all is