OCR Text |
Show III PUIS OF i FARMERS' PUTFORM Elimination of Middleman, the Right to Organize and Rep-j Rep-j resentation on all Boards WASHINGTON, March 18 Elimination Elimina-tion of tho middleman, protection of the farmer in his right to organize, appjintment of an expert accepts.ble to organized agriculturists as secretary secre-tary of agriculture, and representation representa-tion for farmers on all boards and commissions, arc the main planks in ithp farmers' platform outlined In the questionnaire, according to u. S. Bar-i rett, president of the National Bcurd, and chairman of the committee which drow up tho document, Otho'r issuer? presented include the free and unquestioned right of colloc-l tivc buying, reduction of the farm! tenancy evil, improvement of farm credit, facilities, national conservation and ihc maintenance of "free speech. frci press and free assembly." Committee Lists Candidates. The comniittoe already has listed noajly p. score of active and prospective: prospec-tive: candidates to roceive the inquiry and will add others as each candidate, active or receptive, assumes that Mat-us. Mat-us. The list now Includes Vice Pjesi doi.t Marshall, Senators Johnson, t'nin-doxler, t'nin-doxler, Harding, Lcnr.oot and Owen; Governors Cox, Sproul, Coolidge and Goodrich; Herbert Hoover, Attvnev General Palmer, Gov. Lowden an'i Major Ma-jor General Woods. ' There is no plan for InterroKation ; of congressional candidates but copies of the questionnaire will be .placed in) thr hands of all members of tho or-1 gan!7ation. Frequent reports will b I made on nnswors rnpnivoM (Vrn-.i iun' presidential candidates. j have started something that we will stay with to the finish," Mr. Har-roU Har-roU said. "This questionnaire is a statement of principles, not a pcrfunc l tory inquiry as to where candMlatcs' stand on certain questions. I Platform Not Exclusive. I i , "ir is not an exclusive platform. U I Is Inrge enough to accommodau all i honest citizens and all wfho en-lorse' ! Its principles are Invited to Hid in! ;enactlnp them Into law. This can be do.iC if ve have the right kind of pre.'-! pre.'-! id-nt and are represented In confess joy the proper sort cf patriotic citi-, zons.' i Tl.e questionnaire is in the form of' I a letter asking tho recipient to ?cnd "dGi'inite and clear replies" to 12 r-pe Icific inquiries as JO his views. Twelve GpccifiC Cuostlons. I "Proi.perity on the farm is the first condition of general prosperity.", the prer.mble asserts. "Decline of ..igri-culture ..igri-culture is now and always has been thi cei.tial danger to civilization. As; rlcu'tJic is declining in America. If th- general welfaro of our peop'e i3' j to be safeguarded, tho decreaj in fain, pioduction' ccmpared with ;opu-j ;opu-j lilts. ,n and tho impairment of th- ier-tllity ier-tllity o' our soil must be stoppo l. "In view of the power exorcised by tht president upon both the legislative legisla-tive -and administrative branches of ou- government we beliee th.u not omy the forty million people whj live! ami work on our farms, but all A ner icar.s desire and have the right to knew lu advance what they may count' upj!' a candidate to do after election;;." elec-tion;;." Tho questions follow: j "Will jou do your best to sccuiv fair dealing between labor and consumer as will secure to farmers a fair s'laiv of tJ ' wealth they create, reduce the cost of living to the consumer anc' lin.it or destroy the opportunity oi the profiteer? , ( "Will you do all that in you ii..-. to1, secure to all farmers and consumers j the full, free and unquestioned r'rrhti to orrnnize and to purchase and scll"t cciiecmojy? Representation for Farm People. Will you sec that the farm people of America are represented on general i bon ids and commissions in nhoee mmoeihlp various Interests aiv roc-opnized. roc-opnized. whether or not the work Is dire'; di-re'; y concerned with agriculture? J "Wil! you appoint a secretary of agriculture ag-riculture who knows actual farm con dit'ons, who is satisfactory to (he farm organizations of America and who will cause to be made comprehensive comprehen-sive ptudies of farm production costs at home and abroad, and publish the unct l sored facts? "Vill you take the action necessary to ascertain and make public nil obtain ob-tain bio facts concerning the great land growing evil of farm tenancy, so1 : thai ste.ps may be taken to check, reduce, re-duce, or end it? Improved Credit Desired "Will you do your best to seouve im-, im-, proven personal and commodity ctdit facilities on reasonable terras "for far-I far-I mers ? "Will you earnestly endeavor to secure se-cure tc cooperative organizations cf i farmers engaged In Interstate com-, com-, merce, service and supplies equal in jail r-sheets to those furnished private enterprises under like circumstances?! I "The railroads having boen returned! to their owners, if at tho end of two' ryehi? cr further trial of private own-lerc-hip. the railroads fail to render I reasonably satisfactory service to Uie j ! people, will you then favor veoDerini: Uu rallioad question? ! " ;U you uso your best efforts to sortiro '.he payment of the war debt, 'chiefly through a highly graduated in-jcomo in-jcomo tax or, otherwise, by those best '. abl It. pay? i rill you earnestly strivo to uphold tand eitJorcc tho national conservatiot ' policy and to stop forest devastation i wii ch has already more than doubled . th. pnee of lumber and paper to iie confctiPier? ' "Will you do your best to .securo and enforce effective national control over the ppekors and other groat intci slate coinbinr.tlons of capital engaged m the nu.Mifitcturo, transportation or dktri-but dktri-but on of food and other farm products an; fnimcrs' supplies? 'Will you respect and earnestly strive to maintain the right of Tree ! speech, fiee press and free assembly?' |