The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-08-06
RADIO ADDRESS of CHAS. D. ECLEY

OlueF anu powerful TtdSUuo why III
farmers should be friendly to labor
and try to curry the favor of labor.
Legislative Action
In that connection let's take up tn
question of legislation. Farmers con
stitute about one-fourth of this Ma
tons population Congressman ar
elected based on population. New
York, an industrial state, for instance
has As Congressman, Minnesota 3
What can the 8 do against the 40
And even one of the nine comes from
city that doesn't have farmer II
his district, Minneapolis.
Isn't it, therefore, plain to be seer
that farmers must secure the help oil
some other group If they expect tc
see the passage of Federal legislation
that will be helpful to them? And
what other group can they go to that
has common interest with the farm
er excepting labor? Surely not the
commercial interests who have been
exploiting the farmer And how can
the farmer expect to get the help of
labor in their fight for helpful farm
legislation If they first bat labor on
the nose before asking for such help ?
The Farmers Best Customer
And, by the way, labor is the farm
er's best customer Eliminate labor
and there is no outlet for the farmers
product Unemployment to large ex-
tent has already done that. The re-
suits have been disastrous. We can
talk from experience. Neither would
any good business man expect to in
crease his number of customers If
he would first bat them on the nose.
Labor not only needs to be friendly
income. 1t cannot otherwise pay de-
cent prices for the products of the
farm. That is sufficient reason why
farmers should be friendly to and
court the favor of labor, and work
with labor for the solution of their
mutual economic problems, but there
are also others.
For quite a number of years now,
farmers through their farm organiza-
ions have been running to Washing
ON with tin cup In hand every time
congress was in session trying to get
some kind of an appropriation to help
hem to live and stay on the farms.
Any one with just a smattering of
Lodi no trrff N q
struggle in congress for farm legis-
alton knows that whatever the farm |
RS have gotten out of Washington |
vas obtained with the help of labor. |
Surely it did not come from the Min |
leapolis Chamber of Commerce of |
ound robin fame who as far back as
he Coolidge administration wired con-
.ress in opposition to the McNary
Iaugen bill.
Neither do | think should farmers
yho through their organization rep
are constantly asking
ongress for appropriations to help
hem exist on the farm make any UNI
remarks about the un-
mployed on W.P.A. or relief. Any
armer who takes government check,
neither it be soil conservation, com
lodity loan, FS.A. or what not, In
ly opinion, is on relief just like a
y.P.A. worker. He can not live on
is income so he has to have supple
rental aid.
And so is the storekeeper W h o
lkes one of these WPA. or A.A.A.
hecks. He is on relief, too. What {
ind of business would he have had {
n the past few years without such {
lecks? In fact, almost all of us in {
lese United States are on relief to- |
~. And | do not think that one OF |
J reliefers should say anything bad [
)out another reliefer What we should '
; doing is getting our heads together, ,
Id figuring out ways and means OF c
moving the cause of relief. Surely
ere is no need for relief in this s
,untry of ours in this day and age c
hen we can produce plenty for
C
ar and Dictatorship
And | am also afraid that our failure I,
solve our domestic economic prob q
ms is rapidly taking us into war.
)liticians are often wrongfully !.
AIMED for our economic difficulties
mink our depression is caused by 8
ulty economic system rather than a
ulty political system-and so when
r politicians are blamed for these
fficulties and see themselves slip
ny politically they mus have a
apegoat-they must have some one
se to blame for these difficulties
d in that way divert the wrath of
e people off of themselves.
It is, therefore, possible that Herr
tier popped up at a most appro-
late time for this purpose? Hitler
lmed the Jews, we blame Hitler, II
d SO long as the minds of the peo-
can be diverted in this way they
II not blame and change the ecos
mic system responsible for our eco
mic difficulties-the economic sys-
n that enables a few to live In ex- II
me luxury while the masses exist
dire poverty.
And so here's another reason why II
mers and workers should work to-
her. We are rapidly moving to COM
te entry in Europe's war. Farmers
workers should oppose our entry
0 this war They could accomplish
re along this as well as any other
= if they were organized. You have
power as an individual.
- III