Evening star., 1954-10-02
The Political Mill
Formers Keep Quiet
On How They Will Vote
They Still Hold the Key
To Elections in Midwest
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
ST. PAUL, Minn.-The farmers OF
Minnesota and Wisconsin did their full
share in 1948 to ruin the presidential
aspirations OF Gov. Dewey, and in 1852
they lowered the boom on Adlai Steven-
son. In both those presidential years,
the farmers of these States, and those
Of other Midwestern States, kept
mouths closed about what they in
tended doing when they got to the
voting places. ."
The biggest conundrum in the 1854
congressional campaign is what are
the, farmers going to do in this area.
Again their mouths are closed. One Of
the best informed and keenest farm
editors-an expert on farmers prob
lems-says frankly he believes the
farmers take a perverSe delight in tell
ing no one how they intend voting.
While he is convinced that there is
great soreness among many of the
farmers because of reduced farm prices
and because of the Eisenhower farm
program of flexible price supports, he
is still unwilling to predict what the
farmers will do when they vote for
members Of Congress on November q.
Democrats Confident.
The Democratic leaders express great
confidence the farm vote oHill 90 along
with their candidates. Republican lead
ers are fearful that will happen. But
they encourage themselves by pointing
out that the Republicans running for
the House and Senate backed away
from the Eisenhower Benson flexible
farm price supports and have stuck
by the old 80 per cent of parity rigid
price supports on basic crops. In Min
neSota, for example, four of the five
Republicans now sitting in the House
and Senate voted for the rigid,
high supports, when the farm bill
was before Congress. WhyA they
ask, should the farmers of Min
nesota turn against Republican candi-
dates who have shown over the years
their friendship. and give their votes
to Democratic candidates? The sole
Republican member of the House from
Minnesota who cast his vote for the
ElsenhoWer-BenSon farm plan was
Representative Judd. Mr. Judd, who is
completing his sixth consecutive term
In the House, represents Minneapolis
residential district sometimes called a
"silk-Stocking district" and doesn't
nave to count on the farm vote.
Farmers Divided.
To muddy the waters of prophecy
still further, the farmers themselves
appear divided over the Eisenhower
Benson farm program. The Minnesota
Farm Bureau Federation and the Wis
consin Farm Bureau Federation have
strongly backed the Eisenhower-Benson
program of flexible price supports for
farm crops. Indeed, they, with the Ma
tlonal Farm Bureau Federation, urged
the President and his Secretary Of
Agriculture to adopt the flexible price
support system as their policy. The
Farmers Union, on the other hand is
hghtlng the new farm law tooth and
nail.
Numerically the Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton far outnumbers the Farmers
Union IN Wisconsin and is considerably
ahead OF it in Minnesota. The officials
OF the Farm Bureau Federation with
whom / have talked, however, frankly
admit they are not sure how the rank
and file of their membership are going
to vote on election day. In fact, they
do not know-any more than they
cid in 1948 or 1852.
Dewey and Stevenson.
Take look at what the farmers
OF Minnesota helped to do to Gov.
Dewey when he was the Republican
presidential candidate in l948, and to
StnUancnYo ho
, ard bearer in 1852. Gov. Dewey lost
the State to former President Truman
by 100000 votes. Mr.. Stevenson lost
to Gen. Eisenhower by $4,000 votes.
Two years ago. Mr.. Stevenson was tell
ing the farmers here they never had
1t so good-aS under Democratic rule,
Gen. Eisenhower promised to be a good
friend to the farmer, and the Demo-
Gratis claim he promised not 80 per
cent of parity price supports but 100
per cent of parity. This the President
and his supporters fatty deny, saying
that he was merely expressing a hope
that Someday the farmers would get
prices for their crops equal in money
value to the things the farmers have
to purchase.
Farm prices have declined-but they
were declining in 1852 when Mr.. Tru.
man was President-and the decline
has now been arrested for the most
part. Further, milk prices are going
up. In this State the farmers COM
plain that prices Of eggs and poultry
are way down. On the other hand the
corn crop is good and will be extremely
valuable to the farmers both here and
in Wisconsin. Hog prices are off
but have been good. The large ques-
ton is whether the farmers will vote
according their pocketbook nerve or
will be more influenced by some other
issue-Such as that the Republican
administration has brought peace.
Questions and Answers