The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-01-07
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10 HamstrIng the Farmer.
Abolish Is the Word.
Willing to Sacrifice.
| lief that agriculture has won it's legis-
lative battles are just learning that
in place OF security they must prepare
to resist the enemy counter-attack, II
they are to hold the advance, position
they have gained. That position was
gained under the leadership of the
Farmers Union Legislative Committee,
down In the trenches at Washington,
D. c., in a war that extended over
the past eight years, under the leader
ship of the committees chairman, M
W. Thatcher. Now it looks as If hos
tilities will be renewed and the war
fought all over again to retain what
already has been won.
A special economy" committee,
composed of senators and representa-
tives plus a few administration Off
Gals, has just made its first report
through its chairman, Senator Byrd of
Virginia. It's objective is to eliminate
or reduce all non-defense expendi-
lures. It starts out-as you might
expect-by trimming agriculture and
by cutting down relief of the unem-
ployed and youth. The committee
asks that WPA. expenditures be cut
so percent; that the CCC and the
NYA, for the training and education
OF youth be abolished 1t is limited,
from other quarters, that the WPA
people replace the farm labor and that
the boys on CCC and NYA join the
army or the navy and see the world!
That looks pretty bad for the 1ll-fed.
ll-clad and ill-housed millions. Yet
hat was only slight trim compared
20 what the committee proposes for
agriculture. II it has it's way, it
would:
Abolish the Farm Tenant program
and leave the ownership OF the land
1OL Ill Lu6 ldI LII 1dmlly Uut Ill
,oration landlords;
Abolish the Farm Security Admin
stop the rehabilitation
# those farmers who suffer from the
fleets of the depression-born debts
nd below-cost prices. The private
rain trade wants to see the FSA
polished because under it the farm
rs were able to build or buy and
perate their own local elevators, and
his would be nice pleasant, patri-
tic way of hamstringing the farmer
Tho wants to market his own pro-
ucts.
You will notice that the committee
these aids to agriculture be
polished. But when it comes to pub
c roads, non-defense building, rivers
nd harbors, interior department
lnds, the committee cannily calls for
mere "deferment" of the money.
hat is, to put off spending it until
le war is over and then, restore 1t.
ut for the farmers funds the COM
ittee grimly says: "Abolish!" II
ou can read between the lines, you
1derstand just who is to get the per-
anent ak! No deferment for farm
s or the unemployed! Abolish 'em!
hats what the economy committee
,mands. In one thing only has agri-
i'd that is on Rural liberalization.
has been put in the deferred class.
Do not be mistaken. This is only
ess may not take it at all, or it
ny only take parts OF it, A lot de-
nds on what the farmer himself Is
ing to do about 1t. II he stays mum
he will get the limit, as prescribed.
hat he must do is to join the farm
ganization that has fought and is
lay fighting such assaults on the
IN and his family on the farm. Sure
ough the National Farmers Union
gfslative Committee will be down
Washington, fighting its head off
prevent such an abolition of bene-
) already gained. But that COM
ttee has to have your about sup
It and the way to give that is to
come a member of the Farmers
ion and haul your grain to a Farm
Union cooperative elevator. That
'vides the "sinews of war" for your
tie to prevent the whole farm pro-
m from being jettisoned under pre-
Sc OF tightening cargo to save the
p of state. The "paytriots" we
1T are like "Artemas Ward" who
) willing, he said, ito sacrifice all
wife's relations on the altar of
country" They're willing to sac
CO the farmer on the altar of the
ntry-and make an honest penny
80 doing.