Show i u WASI WASE I LETTERI c ro LETTER Farmer Labor Groups Look Forward I to Coalition Party in Near Neal Future I D CORnE DET WASHINGTON Leaders of ol certain farmer and labor groups are Hopefully planning a coalition party A farmer Non NonPartisan NonPartisan NonPartisan Partisan League Is now planned to work In harness with Libor Labor Non Non Partisan I t eague aCt a C 1 I 0 and A F of L organization for political action Even the most optimistic ot of othe the labor firmer o 0 r g a n I z e r s don i l t expect to 10 have a party pre ticket In 1940 but leaders leader i of or the movement believe thel e vill aill 11 be such a ticket in intO The tuo t groups group are working closely together to help elect progressive pr gres lve candidates In 1938 and to take tale advantage of the d break between con con- con con- conservatives sen and progressives ot of the Democratic party pirty In 1940 1040 A conference probably will wUl beheld be beheld beheld held In St Paul soon and rep rep- representation rep representation there by farm dele dele- delegates dele delegates gates progressive congressmen and labor league men may serve as a gauge of the political strength this coalition promises From Minnesota Wisconsin the two Dakotas Nebraska and Montana there has come assur assur- assurance assurance ance that there is spirit for a anew anew anew new political organization and that each county of ot those states can produce a farrr farrar farr who would bt Lit active in leadership UNFORTUNATELY for the theu new movement it is widely believed that Labors Labor's Non Parti- Parti Partisan Parti Partisan san League is dominated by John Lewis and the C I l 0 But claims that more than 50 members of its executive board are A F of L L L that more than half hall of ot aU all Its officials are areA areA areA A F of L L men and none of them has resigned Executive Vice President E L Oliver who has been In chat ae ot of the leagues league's affairs H RUt m l lGeorge George George Berry quit as ores ore's idIs is an A A F of L mp- mp me former director of research for forthe forthe forthe the A F of or L L Brotherhood of at Railway Clerks The other side of the picture Is that Sidney of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers and John JohnLewis JohnLewis Lewis organised the league and installed Berry head of at an A F of L union as president Labor Labors s political strength was tested last year when many officials dials friendly to labor legislation were elected to office As In the Populist Granger and movements farmers have shown in the past that they can organ organ- organize organize organize ize to get votes Rut ALt the confidence of labor leaders and the few farm leader S who 11 have hase 1 e formed an alliance may be destroyed it If most farm farm- farmers farmers ers are found to believe that farmers and workers have funda funda- fundamentally fundamentally fundamentally mentally different interests A theory often advanced is that wage increases mean in- in increased In Increased creased cost of ot goods farmers must buy and higher food prices which f farmers want mean lower real wages for workers These differences may militate against any real U political combineS combine S THOSE rHOSE THOSE who have faith In a labor farmer-labor party argue that hIgher Incomes for workers en- en enables en enables ables them to buy more farm products and higher incomes for farmers enables them to buy more labor products They say both farmer and la- la laborer la laborer borer can be made to appreciate that they have a common Inter inter- interest interest Interest est In tn obtaining the necessities of life at lower cost that farmers wIth their problems of marketing market market- marketing ing mg and distribution and work work- workers workers workers ers with their problems of wages and hours should unite to eliminate eliminate eliminate nate waste caste minimize profits and attack corruption and profiteer profiteer- profiteer profiteer-in m in in business f- f r r for the high optimism at a I the tl l he sincerity of or its leaders I n p eat e- e t farmer political move- move vet little strength |