The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-09-24
III ..:.+
I)u'"1 fMe
E.U.C.T.A..
Convention Season
What's His Answer?
Or Bust a Hamestring
Fewer Parades
They Can Be Trusted

| ~ AsAC& -
Fewer Parades
They Can Be Trusted
This is the season for conventions
particularly for Farmer Union folk
1t begins in October when normally
the harvest is ended and the work
let's down enough to permit little
rest and relaxation. In some parts
of the northwest this may not be true
this year, for the rain has delayed
the finish by holding up threshing
This does not apply to the entire area.
Some parts, as in western North Da-
kota and Montana have not expert
enced the precipitation under which
the Red River Valley of western Min.
nesota and the eastern Dakotas have,
as the Scotch would say, "visibly
swithered." In that respect, this year
is an exception. 1t has dragged out
farm work beyond the usual timing
and it may keep some Farmers Union
men and women at home ON the job.
1t should not, for, in another and
very important way, this is an ex-
ceptional year and needs all the at
tention and thought that the farmer
can give it. He is up against a regi-
mented economy, due to the necessity
for national defense. He must arrive
at decision as to his course He
must say he will Ego along" with the
United States government in furnish
ing its defense needs or he must in
dictate that he will not, unless the
terms suit him. Where is he to say
that? Not at home or on the farm
He must say it in his state conven-
ton so that Uncle Sam and the nation
may know all about it. In the last
World war he was told Wheat will
win the war" In this one, there is
plenty of wheat and the department
of agriculture is telling him what to
produce to win the war. In the last
war the farmer certainly turned out
the wanted wheat, even when the
price was held down to $2.12 a bushel.
In this war he is being told that
meats, eggs and dairy products will
win the war. How will he respond?
No one can, answer but the farmer
That is why his state con-
ventions, this fall, are mighty inn
portant, both as to his own welfare
and that of the nation. Here is a
list of the conventions and their dates
and meeting places:
North Dakota, October 8-11, James,
town.
Montana, October 1918, Kalispell.
Wisconsin, October 20-22, Chippewa
Falls.
Minnesota, October 31-Nov. 1, place
not yet named.
National convention, Nov. IS, To
peka, Kansas
Fix in your mind the date and place
Of the convention in your own state
and resolve to be there or "bust" a
as they used to say in
he horse and buggy age.
Here's what it amounts to- If you
lon't or won't attend to your own
)usiness-your own industry-nobody |
Else will do it for you! The conven-
ions this year will be more serious
lffairs than in the past, for grave |
questions confront agriculture. There |
will be fewer parades and more pom
Inrif1O Thnro mil ho ,otxx %
axe the mind from real consideration
# what must be done to preserve the |
principle in time when |
augmentation has become a national |
necessity. The farmer is the man |
Who will call for the tune because he
Jays the fiddler-always.
Certainly there are defects in the
resent system. For instance there
re glazing defects in the AAA as it
low exists. These are like insects
n building. They annoy but they
re not fatal. There is nothing about |
hem that good job of fumigation
yon't cure. Care must be taken,
owever, not to let the fumigant get
ut of control, in an enthusiasm for
eform, to such an extent that the
uilding is burned down. Axis bomb
RS destroyed the horrible slum dis
'icts of London, but at a terrible cost
l life and property 1t was one way
} get rid of an evil of centuries
The slums of our agricul-
iral industry must be cleaned out
o question about that Blasting them h
ut of existence can do more harm
ian good and can set back the hands ,
n the clock of progress by causing ,
lie loss of all agriculture has gained I
| the past decade. Rashness at a 6
me like this can too readily mean II
lin not only for the farmer, but for +
II beloved country. Embattled farm !
s helped win our national independ- !
ice and they can be trusted to help I
eep it against foes within and with z
It, :
IL