The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-20
FAMINE TRAILS
LOST LEGION
IN SOUTHLAND
Tragic Situation of Millions
Is Held Challenge to
New Deal.
Continued From Page Onel

ing the srarecrOppS- with 1000,
shelter. clothes and any other sup
plies he needed.
In return. the worker would take
half the value OF the crop when II
was ready for market The planter
however. would be IN charge OF GIN
ming ARRANGEMENTS and sale and
would give the sharecropper ms
money only after deducting from II
all that had been spent for fooo'
clothing. medical attention, etc
The result was that the share
cropper seldom had anything left al
the end Of the season. He owed so
much 10 The planter that the ex-
pected profit disappeared
Tenant Fares Badly
The small tenant Jared a little
better. but not much. He supplied
his own equipment, and got two
thirds OF the crop. Like the share
cropper, however. who owned moth
ing but his own labor and the labor
OF his wife and children. he would
find he owed so much TO the planter
for food and clothing that, unless
the price Of cotton was high ne
would come 10 the end OF the
season with little or nothing left.
But the sharecropper, Of course,
was the one in the worst plight Of
all. He had made the bargain. To
all intents and purposes it was fair
enough. and vet he had nothing
when il was all carried out.
The consequences of that situa-
ton constitute one of the greatest
and most far-reaching challenges
to the whole New Deal program.
Neither All at Fault
II is easy to point an accusing
finger at either planter or share
cFopper and say the greed OF the
former or the lazineSS of the latter
Is TO blame. But all the fault is on
neither side, and thoughtful obserV-
ers are beginning 10 recognize 1t.
In the meantime the smoke OF a
bitter controversy has settled down
over the whole situation.
For the first time in the history
of cotton, a union among share
troopers has been organized.
In the worlds richest cotton area
the valley of the lower Mississippi
the SOuthelh Tenant Farmers
Union. with headquarters in east
ern Arkansas - has emerged TO
champion the cause Of the share
cropper.
Union Is Opposed
Born o. The New Deal and the
New Deals recognition of the right
TO organize. the Southern Tenant
Farmers Union is encountering stitt
opposition. but 1t has thus far man.
aged to get about 5000 members and
is reaching out for more in four
states.
Its headquarters today are in
Tyronza, Ark, and its president Is
former Tennessee school teacher.
Self-appOinted agitatOrS have
come to the aid of the new union.
The organization has the express
backing Of the Socialist Party OF
America, and Norman Thomas him
self. the party's candidate for PreSi-
dent in 1892. has lent his personal
influence.
The fire of thS union Just now
Is conferred on the increasing num-
Der of evictions Of sharecroppers,
white and black, from planter
owned property.
EvictiOns AsSa;Ied
The sharecrOppers say that hun
dreds Of their number in Arkansas
alone are being forced into the
highways in violation of the con-
tract entered into by the planters
with the government.
Union leaders insist that Section
7 Of this contract-not 10 be con-
fused with the famous Section IA
OF the Recovery Act-sets forth for
all 10 see that during the life of the
contract with the government, no
sharecropper is TO be evicted with
out cause.
The planters. however. see 1t in a
different light. They say that evic-
tions are not taking place in VIOLA
ton Of the agreement made Nth
the government; that those evicted
are II for good cause and that
tht is not replacement OF
vi - Negroes.
TIE planters further bitterly as
sail The whole effort TO unionize the
sharecropperS as bound TO accom-
plish no worthy purpose, since moSt
OF the workers. especially the whites
are a lazy, shiftleSs lot, without ed
ucation and always indifferent.
Besides" said one large planter
"au this agitation is making it in
creasingly difficult for US to get
money from the bankers TO finance
our crops. and IL We can't get money
the sharecroppers viii be worse of
than they are now"
But one phase Of the situation
neither planter nor sharecroppel
denies.
That is. that the ever-spreading
controversy between the union ano
the planters is at last casting the
national spotlight on the condition
Of nearly 100000 people living II
the very midst Of modern America
in a status of economic peonage.
Next-The personalities and issue:
back Of the SOuth'S coming struggle
WASHINGTON H. S. TO