The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-09
But
Says
BOake Carter
Regimenting the Farmers
Labor's Blank Wall
Nature Is the Dictator

the American workman was
hit so hard in the last depreS-
sion that he lost some degree
of stamina which must be re-
stored before another depression
hits him, lest America emerge
from the next economic slump
with a dictatorship.
In a word, Lewis believes
democracy is more likely to be
maintained in America if labor
gets a better share Of industrial
profits, more leisure. To that
end he would build labor into a
political power IN American life.
The first step in this direction
is the right to organize. Once
that is firmly established and
accepted, the next step is to
establish a Labor Party.
That is a laudable, worthy
and commendable aim, and
knowing those are his aims, none
regrets more than this column
list that Mr.. Lewis let fly the
type of speech that he did last
Friday. For it was a "call-to-
arms" speech rather than one
which, had it outlined the real
aims and objects in the back of
his mind and his reasons for
so entertaining them, would,
do believe, win him more friends
where he needs them most.
DUT there is one thing that
~ believe Mr.. Lewis is kidding
himself about-and that is the
farmers. 1t is a matter of his
tory in American politics that
the party which does not have
the farm support is lost. Sad
to relate, that support has been
mostly bought by the two major
parties. But, however it may
be won, I do not believe it can
ever be won by union organiza-
ton, which is the lure Mr., Lewis
holds out.
The thing most city people
forget about farmers is that
their business depends forever
and only upon one great force
over which man has no control
nature.
A farmer is, for that reason
and because he works not for
some corporation but for him.
self, the greatest nonconforInist
and individualist in the world.
IN industry conditions are
L comparatively steady. The
farmer, on the contrary, has
to battle not only the financiers
who juggle his market prices,
but also droughts, storms,
floods, insects, unproductive
land. Any one Of these forces
of nature can throw him for a
years loss.
One farmer may have a pro-
ductive year. Another farmer
may have an unproductive sea-
son. One cannot expect the
farmer to strike under the pre-
text that he will help the lat
ter-because, first, he would be
striking not against man but
against nature, and as such his
action would be absurd; and,
second, he himself may have
an unproductive year next year.
TNHE COWS can't stand around
l. and hold their milk eight
hours while the mixer punches
the time clock at 6 p. m. Hire an
extra man? Oh, yes, when the
majority of the farmers of the
nation just make enough as it
is to pay the hands they have
now?
If John Lewis came around
and said to me: THAT man Of
yours must only run that tractor
six hours, you'll have to get
another man." and I knew was
completely dependent upon ma
ture, plus what prices I could get
in my local markets, plus the
prospects of my crops, and found
I couldn't make enough to get
another man, would be forced
to go out and buy a tractor that
would do IL hours work in six
hours, pay for it in inStallments.
And where would John L. be?
I would resent him telling me
how I am to run my farm when
know he doesn't know any
thing about my business or what
I am personally up against. And