The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-01-17
A LITTLE EXPLANATION

MeeClng signed by A. N. Wankel. state
secretary OF the Farmers Holiday Associa-
tlon OF Montana, and John Boulds one of
the state organizers for the HOLIDAY on
pearlng in the columns of the PRODTfCEPS
NEWS a fortnight ago, asking for 'eiittIe
explanation" Ai''i0
F1Ske does not understand our attitude
toward certain of the defendants now in
the face OF their behavior and activities in
the past toward this editor and A. N. Wan
KEEL and John BOulds, recalling how even "a
SNORT Clme ago as last summer they were
vlclOusly slandered in an article signed hv
Hans Henderson one of the defendants ~ ~
pearIng in the columns of the FARMERS
NATIONAL WEEKLY, published in Min
neapol!s, and by word of mouth by both
Hans Hardersen and Simon Swanson an
other OF the defendants. Well there is very
little TO explain. We are faced with fact
and not theory. Hans Hardersen and Si-
mon Swanson are only two of the defen-
dents. There are five others and thev
have not participated in any such activitv
However it would not have made anv diff
terence IT they had. The defence of these
men to the last ditch is a matter of prin-
clpie and not OF personality. While there
may be controversy, or have been, between
us, IL was not and cannot be on the basis
OF the necessity and obligation of this de-
fence
Hans Hardersen is toiling farmer: ST.
mon swanson is worker. They have for
years been Identified honestly in the strup-
gleS OF the farmers and workers on the
SIDE OF the tOilerS-in the fight for not
only their own rights as farmers and
workers, along with this writer and Wan
KEEL and Boulds, but for the rights and pro-
lection OF US all, every farmer and worker
They, along with the other defendants.
have been picked out for prosecution, not
because they are who they are, but as vic
TINS, to terrorize every farmer and work.
er who dare stand up for his rights. and
TO demoralize and destroy the Farmers
donday Association and the United Farm
ers League or any other farmers or work.
erS rganization, standing between the ex-
plolters and their profits FIGHT fore
ed sales, foreclosures and evictiOns: for
higher prices for their products or high
er pay for their time. We were comrades
IN arms with them. Their fight is our
light: their prosecution is our prosecution.
we were and are in the struggle honestly
on the basis of principle, and every one of
us who believe in mass resistance to fore
ed sales, foreclosures and evictions, and in
mass action on the picket line, and have
participated gladly with them in our COM
mon cause, are as guilty of any wrong do
ing as they are. We must not fail them
now. We must fight as one, as if each and
every one of us had been indicted. IF we
ola oCherWlse, then we would be the sort
OF men our SlandererS try to represent us
to be-
The writer and the others are now and
always have been for the working class in
the field in the factory, not as lady boun-
tltuls with condeScenSion of heart wishing
as a pastlme to be nice to poor and down.
CrOdden, but because we are of the work
ing class ourselves fighting for our own
salvation and for that of our children as a
matter of principle, and not as a matter of
entertainment or as the basis for future
career and we will be on the firing line
when those who wrote or inspired the ~
ing article, that Hans Hardersen did not
write but allowed himself to be- persuaded
TO sign, the read traducers, have all "hied
home to daddy"
And so again THE PRODUCERS NEWS,
Its Board of Directors, and the faithful Of
1lclals OF the Holiday Association, call up
on every farmer and worker everywhere
to rally to the defence of tn indicted far
merS and workers morally and financially,
forgetting all peeves and personalities.
There must be money raised for it will
take money to defnd these fellow farmers
and works.. There will be publicity as well
as legal expense, for the case cannot be
won in the court rooms alone, but must
be won first in the court of public opinion.
So farmers get subscription lists and get
busy today because there is no time to
lose.
And just by way of closing observa-
ton, attention of the farmers and workers
is called to the unbelievable fact that THE
FARMERS NATIONAL WEEKLY, the
Voice of the Toiling Farmers" so quick
and willing to knowingly publish Shiny
SANDER and infamous calun1ny about the
editor of the PRODUCERS NEWS and the
officials of the Holiday Association, have
not to date had one line to devote to the
defence of the indicted Montana and Dako-
ia farmers and workers. It has not even
mentioned Mr.. Hardersen in connection
with this natter tho it always has a few
lines for him when he sends in an occa-
sional subscription. The capitalist press
has been just as silent.
BY their fruits shall We know them"
We hope this little explanation" is sui
ficient.