Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-03-19
A Wheat Association

a Wheat ASSOCIATION
Last week, when farmers from all over the state ga
thered at Great Falls and Helena to discuss the new farm
bill, steps were taken to organize a wheat growers asso-
citation in this state.
Considerable enthusiasm was evidenced for such an
organization and, as was to be expected, there was some
opposition. That opposition came chiefly from existing
farm organizations, the leaders of which seemed to be-
lieve that a new wheat growers association would only
tend TO weaken existing farm organizations, chief of
which is the Farmers Union.
There isn't any reason why this should be true. The
Farmers Union has done a great work, and is still doing
good work. 1t could continue to do still more by coop
Grating with a wheat growers association.
The subject is at least worth conside ing. A few very
pertinent facts are worth remembering. The Leader will
here recall some of them.
The first agitation for farm legislation began in the
wheat growing states of the northwest. Wheat was the
reason. The surplus of wheat in America, when Europe
became too poor to buy that surplus, induced the wheat
growers to turn their attention to politics and an effort
to secure remedial legislation.
When farm bills are discussed, wheat is the chief
topic. Since farm legislation became the question of the
day, cotton and tobacco and sugar beet and peanut grow
ers and all kinds of producers joined the parade. But it
was the wheat grower who bore the brunt of the fight for
years. He is still its driving force. Take the wheat grow
er out of the fight and legislators will soon forget about
farm bills.
we dNS edl ilLS II any uihi6 wv Oui oFh q
surplus of oats, or flax, or barley, or rye, or potatoes, or
peanuts, or tobacco, or hens, or cows or oil. We import
all those things-hundreds of millions of dollars worth
every year. We haven't had enough of those commodit-
les to supply the demand.
The wheat and cotton farmers have been producing
the SURPRISES. And we have been importing wheat and
cotton, too, as well as their substitutes-millions of dol
lars worth.
But you win notice we haven't been importing many
automobiles, or tires, or farm machinery, or overalls, or
radios, or refrigerators, or the common things the farmer
buys.
Why? Because the producers of those items are
pretty well organized, each group with its own organiza-
ton.
Tim why shouldn't the wheat grower have his own
organization?
There are more than 10000 Individual wheat grow
ers in Montana. The Farmers Union claims little more
than 1900 members in this state. If less than ten per cent
of the wheat growers belong to the Farmers Union, how
about the unorganized ninety per cent?
Not all of tn wheat growers will join any organiza-
ton. But if Is per cent of them joined, you would have
an organization $500 strong, the biggest, strongest, most
potent organization in the state.
Any organization win $500 members can dominate
this state, can dictate its legislation, can talk to a national
congress with a voice that will be heard.
The stockgrowers have a small organization. The
wool growers have a small organization. The wheat
growers have none.
And II you thmk the StOckgrOWeTS mo WOOL eIoW-
es are not potent organizations, just go to the legisla-
ture and see, for instance, what kind Of a herd law you
can get Just try to pass some legislation that will al
feet the woolies and see how quickly you Will be
squelched.
There is a grand opportunity right now to organize
a huge wheat growers association. The old AAA set-ups
afford a splendid nucleus for the biggest organization in
the country.
The individual wheat grower can do little more than
howl or beg. Thirty thousand wheat growers in Mon
tana, or even one-half or one-quarter that number
organized for mutual benefit, can make the other fellow
howl.
The Farmers Union has, as has been here stated,
done good work, but more attention has been given to its
commercial interests than to the wheat situation. And
the price Of wheat means more to Montana, much more,
than does the price of oil or any other commodity pro-
duced in the state. Stock, copper and mining interests
come next, but wheat is the mainstay.
And the wheat grower has no organization OF his
own.
What do you think about it?-Daniels County
Leader.