The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-07-02

of the people who sponsored this
Legislation, they have stated that the
per capita consumption of butter il
Minnesota is as high as 40 pounds pei
year, while in some of the low-wage
southern states the per capita con
sumption is below 10 pounds per year
1t is true that under present wal
conditions the farmer need not be
concerned about finding a market fol
his products, but this is not always
true. With production stepping up tc
it's full capacity now, there most Ger
tainly will be lack of market in the
| future, unless the many families who
| had to exist on tn coarser foods and
never used butter or cream, are per.
mitted to have their unions to protect
their interests.
We do not doubt that an incident
may have happened which irritated
some people in reference to labor
unions. But we are sure that the
farmers of our state would not want
to destroy the city workers organi-
cations merely because of some irri-
tation.
May we remind you that most of
the information in reference to unions
has come through channels unfriendly
to labor organizations. We workers
in the cities have the same desires
and ideals that the farmers have to
provide a decent standard of living
for those who depend upon us for sup
port-proper food housing, clothing,
medical care and a few of the pleas
ures of life. Our children are just
as dear to us as yours are to you
While you think of the labor union as
a group of men, we think of it as the
means to assist us in obtaining a
wage that will provide the things that
are so important in rearing our chill
dren so they may grow to be robust,
healthy, useful citizens.
Labor and the Farmer Are Not
Two Different Peoples
The records show that the rural
population is declining and the urban
population is increasing. They also
show that the average family of the
farmer is as large or larger than that
of the city worker This can mean
only one thing-that your own chill
dren, even in normal times, are COM
PEELED to leave the rural areas and
seek their means of livelihood in
the cities.
Surely no group of persons should
attempt to turn class against class.
Our country is engaged in fostering
good-neighbor policy with foreign
countries and it ill behooves anyone
to turn neighbor against neighbor in
Minnesota.
The lives of many of our people are
being sacrificed to restore democracy
throughout the world and it ill be-
hooves anyone, while our attention is
diverted to this life and death strug
gle to preserve and restore democ-
racy to carry on a campaign of Will
fication in order to destroy the labor
which gives city workers
some semblance of industrial democ-
racy. We cannot believe that any
of cooperative association
would knowingly support such pro-
gram.
While there may be some little diff
ferences between the farmers and the
city workers at times we have much
more in common than any other two
Clearly, we are the produc-
ers. Each is important to the other.
We will grant that the farmer is more
than the city worker
but nevertheless under our present
economy and machine production we
are sure you will agree that neither
,an dispense with the services of the |
)ther
Our labor leaders would never think
If writing a whole code of law cover |
ng the activities of farmers or coop |
srative societies, particularly, without |
me word of consultation with the |
armers. Who did the four men spon- |
'oring this legislation consult with in
the relationship of the city
Employer and employee? Certainly |
lot with the employees. We have
light to believe that any consultation
,r inspiration came from those who
would destroy unions rather than
rom those who realize the necessity
# them.
The farmers have been in battles
or their existence in the past.
In their fight for the McNary-Hau
zen bill did the Chambers of Com
nerce help them? The answer is No.
Did the labor unions help them? The
nswer is Yes.
In the early 20's when farmers were
tempting to protect cooperative as
ociations, did the Chambers of Com
nerce come to their assistance? Not
hat we know of. Did the labor I'M
ons support them at every opportun-
ty? We know they did
Labor has always supported all pro-
ressive farm legislation.