Evening star., 1937-09-24
farmers GROUPS
COOt TO Sd PARTY
Lewis Idea Is Opposed in
Survey With Only One
Exception.
b the Associated Press.

NEW YORK; September 24.-Many
executives Of farm organizations re-
gard with . frosty eye the proposal
for third party with labor and agri-
culture ~ . base.
John L. Lewis. c. l. o. chief, hinted
1t such 4 possibility in . recent ad-
dress. The Republican party has sent
up several trial balloons to sound out
sentiment on a fusion Of Republicans
and Of Democrats who dislike the New
Deal.
To all Of this, however, executives
OF several agricultural organizations
said today that in national affairs
Cincinnats prefers to furrow his
own field.
Heads Of the two great farm Or
ganizations, the National Grange and
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
toin, declined to make any comment,
but from State leaders in both or
ganizations came expressions of op-
position.
Only One Exception.
A survey OF views of farm body
executives, made by the Associated
Press. brought one exception to 4 solid
lineup OF opposition to the Lewis idea.
That came from John L. Bosch,
president Of the National Farmers
Holiday Association and president of
the Minnesota Farmers Holiday Asso-
citation. Mr.. Bosch lives in Atwater.
MINI.
He said:
"A political realignment must be
formed that will meet and supply the
needs Of the farmers and laborers, and
II the Democratic party cannot be that
vehicle 1t is up to the leaders to make
1t 80. Otherwise. q national farmer
labor party will be formed.
I'VE are absolutely In favor OF a
farmer-labor alliance, and We are not
so particularly concerned what its
name should be. but what its program
Will be to meet the needs OF those two
producing groups
S0,vvV IN Oroup.
Mr.. Bosch says there are 30 900
members OF the Farmer Holiday group.
Some OF the other views:
Iowa Grange Master Charles Star
rett:
The grange is non-partisan and Is
interested in the issues rather than
the party. know of no sentiment
existing for a third party"
d. z. Wilson, Nesbit. Miss, president
OF the Mississippi Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton:
"A coalition of farmers and indus
trial workers. particularly in the
South, Is undesirable for a number
OF reasons, and is not even considered
seriously in this section. Our OBJ
Jectives are not the same, either
political or economically"
DR.. Meade Ferguson. chairman Ex-
ecutive Committee. Virginia State
Grange:
There always has been q wide
divergence between the views OF the
industrial worker and the farmer, and
seldom can they be brought together
on common ground"
Not Political Organization.
H. G. Keeney, president of the
Farmers Union Of Nebraska:
Our policy has been to make ours
an economic, not political organiza-
ton"
T. Roy Brooks, master OF the Mary.
land State Grange:
Il oppose the Farmer-Labor party.
and it's my opinion there is no more
interest In common between agricul-
ture and labor than there is between
industry and labor"
Joe Frank Porter, president Tennes-
see Farm Bureau Federation:
We are opposed to any type of class
party"
r. F. Sans. jr.. honorary life presi-
dent OF the Georgia Vegetable Grow
ers' Association:
Il wouldn't think the farmers would
be much interested. think Mr.. Lewis
is the only one thinking about it,
trying to get elected President"