Montana labor news., 1937-10-28
Montana Farm Union
Meets al LewisIown
Endorsed Proposition of C. /. o.
to Cooperate With Farm
Unions.


Resolution No. 20 indicated the
progressive spirit of the convention
of Montana farmers in session here.
The resolution approves the proposal
of the C. l. o. to embrace farmers.
Whereas we recognize in the field
Of industry c. I. o. unionism is SINH
lar to the Farmers Union in Agri-
culture, in that it embraces an en-
tire industry and is not limited to
special groups, and,
Whereas, the c. I. o. conferences
of recent date adopted a resolution
seeking the cooperation of organized
farmers in matters of mutual inter-
est,
Now, therefore, be it resolved,
that we, the members of the Farmers
Union of the state of Montana, in
convention assembled at Lewistown,
October %, 1887, do heartily endorse
and commend such action on the
part of all labor organizations, and
we hereby pledge our cooperation to
the end that the combined forces of
farm and labor may secure economic
justice.
The convention lacked one thing,
namely, delegates from the ranks of
organized labor in Montana. The
subject matter Of many of the
speeches and extemporaneous talks
stressed the Importance of coopera-
tive effort on the part of farmers
and the necessity of economic" de-
mocracy. Some of the speakers were
Of the opinion that organized labor
in its massed attempt to gain in
creased wages overlooked the de-
sireability of massed cooperation in
every field of activity. We are liv-
ing in an era of pressure" politics,
hence progressive legislation in Hell
ena and in Washington cannot be
won until all laboring forces in the
state and nation unite on a single
program. The forces of reaction
which like to think that they control
the destiny of all in this United
States believe in the old Roman Gus
tom of divide and rule" In trying
to maintain this antiquated custom
the politicians seek to divide labor
by stirring up trouble between the
rank and file workers in the A. F.
of L. and in the c. 1. o. At the same
time they seek to divide the farmers
by fomenting trouble between the
Farmers Union, the Grange and
farmers who believe in the efficacy
of the Farm Bureau.
These reactionaries do not stop
here. They attempt to show that the
interests of the nations farmers have
nothing in common with the inter
ests of workers affiliated with the
A. F. of L. and the c. I. o. They do
everything in their power to prove
that farmers and workers, organized
and unorganized, live in different
worlds. When farmers and workers
unite their forces and grasp the po-
litical power which justly belongs to
them, we will see state and national
legislation that will benefit the la
boring classes. Farmers cannot hope
to sell their crops profitably so long
as we have millions of unemployed
in cities and factories, nor can the
unemployed expect to receive living
wages as long as farmers get less for
their crops than the cost of produc-
ton. To break this vicious circle
once and for all, farmers and work
ers must unite and stick together re-
gardless of the warning which reach
the unwilling public via radio and
press.
Let us hope the next annual con-
vention of the Montana's Farmers
Unions will have in attendance rep
resentatives of the A. F. of L. and
c. l. o. PHILIP o. KEENEY.