The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-10
Conflicting Views Shown in
Conversations With
Stokes.
BY THOMAS L. STOKES
Times Special Writer

II
Times Special Writer
CHICAGO, Feb. 10-Listen tc
the Voice of the Middle West as
I've listened to it for two weeks
on city streets, in paneled business
offices, on the farm, in taxicabs, in
smokers, in railroad stations, in the
headquarters of politicians, in state
capitol buildings.
A veritable Babel, it rises IN In.
diana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas
Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wiscon-
sin.
The farmer is still the backbone
of the Middle West.
He's talking about the death OF
the Triple A, thinking about it
wondering about the Supreme
Court, the nine men who got where
they are through no say-so Of his
Some are mad at the Supreme Court
some just accept it as part of the
system under which we live.
Emotions Mixed on AAA
News of the death of Triple A was
received with mixed emotions. The
farmer is somewhat like the fellow
who has been getting check regu-
larly from rich uncle, an uncle
who watched his behavior closely
and was somewhat perneckety, anc
then the uncle suddenly stops send
ing it.
They all miss the check. Some
are a little relieved that the vigi-
lance of the uncle is no more. A
few say good radiance. But a ma
jority say they've got to have some
thing like it to keep up with the
city fellow in the East and his
tariff protection, or else
Another note rises from the
farmers. They don't like so much
government spending, except where
the spending is on them. This rises
from the fear of debt. Somebody's
got to pay for all this. They've had
enough of debt in the last few
years.
Listen to Them
Hear the voices:
Looks funny that they let the
AAA run two years before they
found it was wrong"
ANY time six men can wreck a
program that millions of people
want and depend upon, that gives
these six men lot of power"
IF they don't Get some substitute
for the AAA program we'll have 10
cent corn and Scent hogs again.
Il don't see how man Can bor-
row himself into prosperity. They
ought to just let us alone"
81 think Roosevelt has done his
duty. I don't know whether he'll
be reelected, but he should be, by
rights. He's got the old boat roll
ing. With some one else it's liable
to turn the other way"
I'm not for the President. I was,
but wouldn't be again because he's
gone haywire on his spending"
Thus the random voices, a fairly
good cross-section, right from the
mouths of the dirt farmers.
Business Men Fume
Business men fume angrily, with
some exceptions such as big rail-
road official who watches his road
climb out of the red, and heads of
business which sell to the farmer
and liked the Triple A.
Sears-Roebuck, incidently, had its
biggest year ever, except for 1929,
last year, crossing $415 100000.
But, by and large, they are sore.
Roosevelt, they say, is leading the
country into socialism. They resent
his attacks on them. He's grinding
down the middle classes, they COM
plain. He's spending too much
money. Taxes will have to go up.
Business men out this way take
their cue from their big brothers
in the East. You hear exactly the
same talk in st. Louis, Kansas City,
Des Moines, Kenosha, that you hear
in New York, Boston, Philadelphia
and Baltimore.
Gamers of the country, gathered
In Chicago recently $4,000 strong,
reported improved business and in
the next breath adopted resolutions
denouncing the New Deal, the
"brain trust" and government inter-
ference with business. The leaders
framed the resolutions. Many of
the rank and file spent most of
their time at the bars.
Incidently, the canning machinery
people at the convention broke all
records with orders for new
machinery-more than $1,000,000,
compared with S630,000 last year.
Waitress Backs Roosevelt
Kitty of Kansas City, waitress,
when asked whom she wa going to
vote for, replied:
The same one-Roosevelt. I
guess he's doing the best he can.
But none of EN- has ever done any
thing for me-"
she nad TO work on sunday
and Sunday was supposed to be her
day off. She was sour on the
world.
NRA? She worked under it just
about the same way she does now.
Three men in Pullman wash
room of dark morning, with a
blizzard raging outside, tossed out
their thoughts as they shaved. All
three said they'd vote for President
Roosevelt in November. The train
was pulling into Madison, Wis,
where it was 38 below zero.
Mushroom Conversation
Hes helped me some and I want
him to keep on helping me" volun-