The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-10
UNITED FRONT
PACT SIGNED
BY CHOPPERS
Capital Conference Sets
Basis for Joint Fight
on Agrarian Issues
BY Howard BOIdt
DAILY Worker STAFF Correspcadent)

" Ao11lAf0 1OlNs - ~ Jan "a
stirring appeal for unity of all agri-
cultural workers. small farmers and
rural unemployed was made today
at the First National Conference Of
Agricultural Workers, held at Muir
ray Hall, Tenth and U Streets.
The establishment of the united
front central body, with which all
groups not here represented can
affiliate, and the conclusion of q
working united front agreement
between the Tenant Union OF
Arkansas, group led by the So
cislist Party. and the SharecrC7pers
Union of Alabama are among the
outstanding tasks which the con-
ference has set itself.
Al White. Of the Alabama Share
troopers Union. and e. B. McKin-
ney, Of the Arkansas Southern Ten
ant Farmers Union. both Negro
shsrecroppers, signed the united
front agreement between the two
organization today
Fifty-three delegates from twenty
States, representing thirty EIGHT
farm and farm labor organiza tons,
are in attendance.
National Unity Committee
This conference the main reso-
luton reads, establishes the Ma
tionsl Committee for Unity of Agri-
cultural and Rural Workers, and
appeals to all organizations Of
workers in the small towns, villages
and rural regions of America to join
with us in united action for the inn
proyement of our immediate con-
ditions and to work toward the
building of one nationwide union
of all agricultural and rural work.
ers.
The committee shall work with
all existing organizations in order
to unite our forces in a common
struggle against the present condi-
tions of starvation wage levels, I'M
employment and insecurity, and
shall seek to further the aims and
purposes outlined in this program
and appeal"
Program of Action
The following points OF action
are specified in the resolution: To
cooperate with all of the exist
ing organizations of the rural and
agricultural workers for the dsvel-
oping of one united union; to work
with all groups in the industrial
areas for the furthering of this ulti-
mate union; to assist in every way
in aiding the existing organizations
and to develop nation wide support
for their struggles.
In cooperation with the existing
organizations in each region and
4 State, the National Committee set
up here will initiate and promote
the holding of crop. regional and
State conferences of agricultural
and rural workers for the purpose
of securing effective trade union
unity. The conference authorized
the National Committee to issue a
bi-monthly news bulletin and other
material.
To Distribute Manifesto
The manifesto of the conference,
to be printed in the thousands for
wide distribution among the rural
population, condemns the New Deal
Administration the policies Of sh&
N. R. A. and the A. A. A. as they
apply to the agricultural workers
and poor farmers. The A. A. A.
has ruthlessly attempted to aid the
big farmers and growers while de-
creasing our jobs and increasing
unemployment: it has increased the
cost of our daily bread and forced
our families into starvation relief, :
the manifesto reads.
1t further sets forth nine de-
mands of the rural workers: The
right to organize. strike and picket;
| the establishment of minimum wage
levels and maximum hours for each
crop or region through demo-
cratically elected conferences of
workers; abolition of child labor,
and opposition to all forms Of dis
elimination and compulsory arbitra-
ton.
AS an immediate guarantee of a
measure of security, the conference
endorsed and demanded the enact
ment OF the Workers Unemploy-
ment and Social Insurance Bill,
HR. 1927.
One basic and important docu-
ment remains and the general opin-
ion is that complete accord will be
reached on the united front agree
ments between the Sharecroppers
Union of Alabama, Mississippi,
Tennessee and North Carolina and
the Southern Tenant Farmers IN
ion of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and
Missouri. The signed document
will be submitted to the members
of both groups for ratification.