The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-24

A was rapidly disorganizing American agriculture. Some of its worst effects continue. By its policies the administration has taken the American farmer out of foreign markets and put the foreign farmer into the American market. The loss of markets, both at home and abroad, far out- weighs the value of all tue bene- fits paid to farmers.
 Gambling Alleged
 Worse than this, from the standpint of the public, is the fact that the administration, through It's program of scarcity, has gam bled with the needed food and feed supplies of the country. It overlooked the fact that mother nature cannot be regimented.
 The time has now come when we must replace this futile pro- gram with one that is economical. ly and socially right.
 The wealth of our soil must be preserved. We shall establish ef- fective elective soil conservation and erosion control policies in connection with Q national land use and flood prevention program and keep 1t all out of politics.
 Our farmers are entitled to all of the home market they can sup. ply without injustice to the con- sumer. We propose Q policy that protects them in this right.
 Some of our farmers, dependent in part upon foreign markets, suf- fer from disadvantages arising from world disorder. Until these disadvantages are eliminated we propose to pay cash benefits in order to cushion our farm fam flies against the disastrous effects of price fluctuations and to pro- tect their standard of living.
 People Responsive
 The American people, now as always, are responsive to distress caused by disasters, such as the present drouth. Our platform re- fleets that spirit. We shall fulfill its pledge to give every reasonable assistance to producers in areas suffering from such temporary af- fiictions, so that they may again get on Q selfsupporting basis.
 Our farm program as 0 whole will be made to serve Q vital na. tional purpose.
 The family type of farm has long constituted one of the cher ished foundations of our social strength. It represents human values that we must not lose. Widespread ownership of moder- ate-sized tracts of land was the aim of the republican homestead act. This conception of agricul- ture is one phase of the general principle that we stand for pre- serving freedom of opportunity in all walks of life.
 The benefits which will be paid under our program will be no higher than the production level of the family type of farm.
 Another matter of deep concern is the welfare of American labor. The general well being of our country requires that labor shall have the position and rewards of prosperity to which 1t is entitled. firmly believe that labor has the right to protect this position and to achieve those rewards by organizing in labor unions. Surely the history of labor in the United States has demonstrated that working conditions, wages and hours have been improved through self-organization.
 LabOr's Rights
 The right of labor to organize means to me the right of employees to join any type of union they prefer, whether 1t covers their plant, their craft or their indus try. It means that, in the ab- sence of a union contract, an employe has an equal right to join a union or to refuse to join a union.
 Under all circumstances, so states the republican platform, employees are to be free from inc terference from any source, which means as I read it, entire freedom from coercion or intimidation by the employer, any fellow employe or any other person.
 The government must maintain itself in the position of an llTn- pire: First. to protect the public interest. and second, to act as c mediator between conflicting groups, One Of inc greatest prob.