Evening star., 1937-10-10
BY BLAIR BOLLES.
HE ancient dream of many
American rural and urban
workers that some day a poten,

o4 DAhAR DULLES.
" HE ancient dream of many
American rural and urban
workers that some day a potent
L national Farmer-Labor Union
might come into being and sweep
them to the top Of the political heap
has been given some substance dur
ing the last few months by an un-
advertised adopted child of the c. l..
O.-the United Cannery. Agricultural,
Packing and Allied Workers of Amer
lea.
This union, which is guided quietly
from unobtrusive headquarters in the
Rust Building, Fifteenth and K
streets, as yet has enlisted scarcely
per cent of its hoped-for mem
bership of 100000 among farm
workers, tenant farmers; small. mort
gage-bound farmers; farm goods pro-
cessing labor, tree surgeons, fish pack
ers and hot-house laborers.
But its president, Donald Hender-
son, feels that its membership of
100000 before it is three months old
promises strength and success. His
first aim is more members, his sec
ond better pay and prices for the
members. his third more helpful Fed
eral legislation for the members and
fourth political alliance with the
industrial workman to protect his
gains.
Buttered on Labor Side?
The particular problem of the
union is to convince the independ-
ent small farmer that his future
will be roster if he breaks his ira
ditional alliance to capital and joins
the camp of labor. II Henderson
and his aides preach this doctrine
successfully, farmer-labor political
approchement will become a fact.
If Henderson fails. his union will be
nothing more than haven for can
merry workers, field hands and share
troopers, who can see the virtues of
unionization without being urged.
Even though the United Cannery,
Agricultural, Packing and Allied
Workers of America is a small union.
it is interesting as pioneer. For it
represents the first international. COM
prehensive attempt in the worlds
history to organize all agricultural and
allied laborers whose positions and
economy could be strengthened by a
better bargaining relationship with
capital.
When the union was born. in June,
1t represented a merger Of already
existing groups, such as the Oyster
Workers Union Of Olympia, Wash,
the Field Workers Union, the Dairy
Workers Union, the United Railway
| Icemen's Union, the Citrus Workers
| Union, the Japanese Farm Workers
| Union, all of California, and othel
weak unions with localized interests
Leaving the farmers out of it for 6
while, Henderson is concentrating
now on enlisting dairy professors ir
Indiana, Colorado sugar beet work
ers, fish packers in the Northwest
fruit and vegetable Gamers every.
where and hot-house and nursery
workers in the Northeast States.
Seeks SOuO OQuOd GUns
He wants to build solidly on a mem.
bership of workers who can count or
fairly permanent hire and who under.
stand readily the worth of organi
zation. He has been most successful
with horticultural laborers in New
Jersey, New York and Connecticut
mushroom tenders, bush growers anc
tree surgeons. Tree surgeons, who pa.
higher insurance than any other agri
cultural workers, consider themselve!
the aristocrats of the horticulture
labor field, but they are at the same
time disgruntled with their pay scal'
and with what they feel are made
quate safety devices provided them b,
their bosses.
| When Henderson has solid nucleus
of members whose problems funda
mentally are no different from th'
problems Of steel worker he intend!
to 60 after the independent farmer.
The value Of the union to the small
| farmer" Henderson said in an inter.
view, sis that the union can help hin
lessen his cost of production. 1t car
reduce the advantage which the large
scale producer now holds over him
And when we have half million mem
bers, feel We will be capable of de-
manding and getting more liberal gov
ernmental credit policies and legis
lative aids for the farmer.
"An organization of small farmers vii
be able to bargain with professors o
farm products rather than take wha
the professor is willing to give as the in
dependent, single farmer must unless h
he is willing to dump his crop. And or
ganized farmers can buy seed and fer
tilizer comparatively. They can worl
their farms and use their labor CO
operatively. And if the union is stronl
enough, the large-scale producer vii
be forced to pay his labor higher wage
4 and thus lower the difference betweei
his spread and the farmers small
spread"
Warning Sounded.
Henderson made this explanation
not long after Secretary Of Agricultur
Wallace, in his Constitution day speech
remarked of the growing organiza
tional power Of the farmer and at th'
same time issued warning. He said
Il sincerely trust that agriculture