The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-08-07
CCo.optig1'aIs:f
F.U.C.T.A..


The Miserables Cry.
Whole Loaf Wanted.
Bundle Can't Stop 1t.
To End That Evil.
Few now will recall the pathetic
scene, drawn by the master hand of
Chas Dickens, of the waif at the poor
house who astounded the pompous
beadle, Mr. Bundle, by rising with
empty bowl in hand to ask for a
second helping of the thin cruel that
was his portion. solver asks for
Imoren was the cry that arose when
Ihalf-starved Oliver Twist faced his OPP
lpressors with such demand. That,
you say is ancient history-it is not
being done any more. No? How
about the miserable tenant and share
cropper families who suffer from NAL
nutrition on farms in these United
States and who live, in spite of their
arduous toll, on grits, hominy and
trace of salt pork-doled out to them
at the order of their feudal masters
Their woeful eyes CLEAN at us from
their emaciated bodies which are
sheltered in novels that, If we housed
our dog in them, would bring the
Humane Society down upon us.
These are the "Olivers" that are
asking for more They are the farm
families that ask only decent food,
clothes for rags and habitations fit for
humans. They are the families that
Ed O'Neal and the Farm Bureau
strove to deny the small solace of
life's necessities, in the sacred name
of economy" and for the greater
glory and profit of their landlords
and the commercial corn growers. 1t
is better - so their argument ran -
that these be continued in want and
misery rather than permit the profit
in corn to be abated by one cent
The cry Of these miserables has risen
up before the people of the United
States and though they are helpless,
that cry is being heard. The Farm
ers Union has made it audible through
the length and breadth of this land
by its victory for funds to help these
victims to return to the stature of |
American manhood and womanhood |
No wonder NJ w. Thatcher writes:
Everlasting shame to those few lead |
ers of the Farm Bureau who at |
tempted to defeat the farmers of this |
country on this great issue and at a |
time when the country is at war!"
Mr. Thatcher outlines the gains |
made for the farm family in the ap- |
preparations to help them, but he con-
cludes: "a compromise agreement |
was reached. What we got is NOT |
ENOUGH" There speaks the fight
ing spirit of the cooperating farmer.
I'VE will now, more vigorously than
ever prosecute this issue to make the
farm reality" In other
words, the low-income farm group,
the tenants and the sharecroppers,
have received half loaf Now the
Farmers Union is out to get the whole
loaf of justice and mercy.
That's it, You guessed It! OLIVER
asks for morei" AS this Is written,
are being prepared and Of
fered to congress for a deficiency APP
which will make up for
the half bowl of Cruel that was given
by the Farm Bureau-Big
Business combination. That, as you
should know, is the so-called Farm
Bloc" which is set up to block the
farm from getting what it should have
and what every other industry was
granted without question for war pur-
poses. The second bowl is on its way
md no Mr. Bundle, the beadle, in
he form of Ed O'Neal and his master
mind, Earl Smith, can prevent it be-
ng filled for the hungry, the naked
md the shelterless. Who has the
lerve to make such a demand? Who 5
would you think? You have three
,uesses and the only answer is: The
National Farmers Union Legislative
Committee, with NJ w. Thatcher at
Is head.
Senator LaFollette, on July 81, In
lis minority report on the Byrd com
1ittee report, declared: ut is esti-
mated that in 1940-only last year
bout one-fourth of all farm families,
r about 100000 of them, made $500
r less from their farms, including
he value of farm-produced products
or home consumption. That is 81 or
ess per person, per week. Another
100000 farm families made less than Z
$50 a year, a weekly income of SO 3
r less per person" That is the sys- 3
en- the Farmers Union is out to kill 8
hat is the evil it fights-giying no 3
uarter and asking none = and will 3
ontinue to fight as long as there is g
Farmers Union or a cooperative 3
lrm organization in existence in this B
md. No more now, than in 1863, 3
an this nation remain half slave and q
alf free" and hope to survive. n