The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-06-12
Associated Farmers
Hearings Re-opened
BY LaFollette

| Testifying before the LaFollette
committee which reopened its hear
Iings on the Associated Farmers to
hear evidence from government ex
Iperts, Secretary Wallace told the com.
mittee that the development of "a
llarge-scale, industrialized type OF agri-
culture" is forcing several hundred
thousand small farmers off the land
Wallace stated that "the working
| farm population is now growing at
the rate of $4,000 a year" even
though 100000 fewer persons are
needed as compared with 10 years ago,
as result of labor-saving develop
ments. The result has been that
thousands of farm families have
taken to the road as migrant agri-
cultural workers" and many other
small farmers are still fighting to keep
"a precarious foothold on the land"
Not only are the family sized farm
the ranks of migratory workers, but
the evidence presented to the COM
mittee shows that once they become
landless, migratory workers, they are
treated like wild and dangerous ami
mails when they apply for farm work
at these very industrialized farms
which drive them out of commercial
In commenting on the
treatment of these migrant families,
the Council for Social Action of the
Congressional and Christian churches
asked, did it advance de-
to treat the migrants like
cattle, to break up their meetings, to
beat up their leaders,"
Evidence presented to the LaFol-
ette committee shows that the large /
scale corporations, Gamers, packers,
and industrialized farms, have formed
front" organizations which pose as
small farmer organizations but which
light the battle of the corporations
% hold down wages and further in
;rease their competitive advantages.
These corporations enlist some small
md medium-sized farmers to office
heir front organizations while the
supply the necessary H.
lances.
The Associated Farmers of Califor-
Tia, the front organization investigated
" the LaFollette committee. was ,
ound to get more than 400 of its
unds from professor and distributor
interests.
On two occasions the Associated
farmers received nationwide motor
ETY.. The first instance was in the ,
alinas Valley, September 1886, when b
entered into labor dispute on the :
ide of the companies which pack Ii
nd market large proportion of all 1
he lettuce grown in the country. 1t Ie
lrned the dispute into a pitched bat C
e in the streets of Salinas, and the In
violence shows that all of the tech O
iques of industrial warfare were used Il
tear and sickening gas, armed
deputized vigilantes, and n
elective agency strike-guards. One t
the leaders of the deputized vigil
ntes was the chairman of the labor u
elations committee of the Associated
armers. O
Again in April, 1897, in the Sacra- e
ento Valley in California, the Asso- Is
ated Farmers entered a dispute be- t.
veen four canneries and LOO can G.
cry workers. The president of the s,
ssociated Farmers led an army II
luipped with pick handles, and riot II
G ensued in which So persons were
jured hi
Evidence shows that the Associated
armers planned to set up well-drilled,
Informed, and armed forces of men al
eliminate all opposition to its domi- s.
ltion. One document, titled, PRO lo'
dure for Captains or District Meet
gs of Deputies" was secured under U
bpoena by the LaFollette commit az
e and most clearly exposes the coer- es
We, vigilante designs of the organiza- tn
IN. nj
This manual called for the setting lsu