The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 1, 1918, Page 5

. a corresponding reduction to the con- - sumer; now, therefore, be 1t 7" CONSCRIPTION OF WEALTH - ASKED BY DELEGATES 3 % establishment by the government of “be it . ferences in price' and grade. The Leader is factories for the benefit of the people of this na- tion, so that workmen may be fairly treated and consumers may have their bread at a price which bears a fair and just relation to the cost. DEMAND ELIMINATION OF USELESS MIDDLEMEN “Whereas, there are thousands of farmers in Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska and other west- ern states who through crop failure and high costs are bankrupt and have not the means to live upon their farms and to produce another crop and will be unable to secure further credit except at ex- tortionate cost, be it “Resolved, that for the welfare of the nation and to make it possible to raise a food crop equal to the needs of our country and its allies, we do respectfully urge our government, and especially do we urge upon the president, the congress and the department of agriculture, to provide at once for lending to these farmers at a low rate of in- terest such sums as they need in order that they may remain upon the battle line of production for the nation’s r necessities. “Whereas, members of the boards of trade and chambers of commerce are proposing to collect for acting as the purchasing agents of the government a fee higher than that exacted in previous years, although by reason of a fixed price and a sure market. they render practically no useful- service; now, therefore, be it . “Resolved, that we respectfully urge the food administration to cease operating through and pay- ing toll to useless middlemen, and that it engage its own employes to buy grain direct from the producer or possessors of it; and be it further “Resolved, that in case the food ad- ministration deems it impossible to make this change at once, we urge that the commissions paid to private purchasing agents be reduced to a sum commensurate with the service rendered, and we respectfully ‘point out that we do not recognize any necessity for the government to main- tain in idleness the staffs employed’ by the grain commission men and merchants in the processes of grain buying and speculating as ordinarily conducted in times of peace. “Whereas, it is apparent that gross discriminations against both the . farmer and the consumer are result- ing and will result from the ‘present- food administration plan of basing all prices upon an imaginary concen- tration of all wheat and a distribution of all its products from one central market point, capsing heavy and un- necessary sacrifice to both farmers and consumers, since the reduction in the price of wheat is not reflected in “Resolved, that we recommend the price-fixing zones, as has been done by France, with a uniform price to the farmer. at the point of delivery from the farmer's wagon. Be it further resolved, that the practice of co-oper= ative buying and peddling from rail- way cars and public markets be aided and encouraged by our governmen and the food administration. T “Whereas, the federal grain grad- ing system takes no account of the . milling_value of grain and results in- - discriminations ‘in. price, therefore, “Resolved, that the milling value of grain be made ‘the basie test of dif- * “Whereas, the expenses of the war for the first year alone, authorized s ) placing before its read ley in a small Minnesota, county. Th March 18 issue the resolutions and st “By jingo.. That’s the unorganized farm and projected, amount to twenty billions (twenty thousand millions) of dollars and are mounting at a terrific rate, so that if the war continues only two years the interest on the sum expended on the war operations alone, without costs of pensions and reconstruction of industry, will amount to nearly twice the ordinary annual expenditures of the government for all purposes, and “Wheress, unless new and extraordinary means for providing current revenue are found and ap- plied, means which will go far beyond the timid and wholly inadequate war taxation provisions planned by the present congress, the crushing bur- den of debt will endanger the very foundations of our government and imperil the credit and honor of the American people, besides condemning " its toilers to years of heartbreaking struggle and misery to meet the obligations heid by a creditor class, thus sowing the seeds of discontent and even rebellion, and “Whereas, there exists the fund from which all or nearly ail of the war expenses can be paid and liquidated, while the war is in progress, this fund being the huge surplus created by war profits wrung by extortionate prices from the sweat and suffering of the American people and coined from the blood and the agony of the crucified millions of Europe who are nobly tossing their. lives into the caldron of war in order to preserve human liber- ties, now, therefore, be it “Resolved, that this nation take the profits of war and the surplus of production as it comes to the surface in the form of swollen dividends and WEAPON FOR UNORGANIZED FARMERS ~PAGE" FIVE~ 0 T e T ——— ers every fact in connection with the indictment of Mr. ere is nothing to conceal. The Leader published in full in the atement of Congressman Baer that served as the basis for the first indictment of Mr. Townley. Since then a second indictment has been brought in the same county, based on the September resolutions of the Lea gue at the big St. Paul meeting. We here- - with republish these resolutions complete tha t the entire truth may be known. —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris - thing that will protect me from the jackals,” says the er as he looks. at this window display. Farmers in over a _dozen states are buying this sort of weapon as fast as they can. Have you got yours? The gun is to be loaded with ballots and used b 3 4 J y the farmers’ army against the politicians representing big business at the e lections this year.: Town- incomes to pay the expenses of war; and be it further “Resolved, that we call upon congress and the national administration to cause the dollars of America to be enrolled for service just as-the youth of this nation has been compelled and has gladly responded to the call to enroll itself to fight and to die for human liberty, and that when thus en- rolled the dollars of America likewise be con- scripted and so much thereof as shall be necessary shall be taken for the uses of war, in order that our government may live, and in order that autoc- racy may die, and in order that this may remain in truth and in fact a free, contented and prosper- ous land, a government in very fact and reality OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE. GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP IS GIVEN APPROVAL “Resolved, that as a means of raising war revenue we earnestly urge the conscription of such wealth as it may be found possible to conscript without hampering the operation of industry neces- sary to the support of the civilian population as well as the maintenance of army and navy to the highest efficiency, and as regular war revenue sources we urge the levy of a 2 per cent tax upon the value of all unused or inadequately used land, whether in city or rural districts, and an income tax levied upon all incomes in excess of $2,000 so that the total net income of any individual shall not exceed $100,000 per annum. “Whereas, the only sure foundation for democracy both in peace and war is the establishment of justice and equality in the distribution of the fruits of labor, and “Whereas, we believe such a con- dition to be impossible of accomplish- ment with private ownership of the great basic industries such'as mines, timber lands, water power and rail- ways, now, therefore, be it “Resolved, that we declare for the public ownership of public utilities, and that all of the great basic in- dustries are public utilities, and be it further “Resolved, that we do emphatically indorse the resolutions of the miners of Butte in favor of government oper- ation of the copper mines. sary that every means be employed to combat the high cost of living and to meet the serious situation arising out of the war; therefore, be it “Resolved, that we heartily indorse and commend all truly co-operative organizations, both of production and distribution. “Whereas, our government has met determined opposition in its efforts to reduce prices and to conscript wealth for service in the war, be it “Resolved, that wherever the gov- ernment’s plan of price-fixing or con- scription of wealth to pay for the war can not be made to operate success- fully through the failure to co-oper- ate of the persons or corporations en- gaged in the various industries, we urge that our government, following the course found necessary by our allied nations, immediately comman- deer all necessary.industries such as flour mills, terminal elevators, iron mines, coal mines, copper mines, oil fields, packing houses, railroads, tele- phone ‘and telegraph lines, express companies, clothing factories, steel mills, armor plate mills, shipyards and any ‘and all other industries or public service utilities as may be needed by the government in the con- duct of -the war and- to prevent ‘the lowering of the standard of living, : (Continued on page 23) RV R LTG0 ST T “Whereas, it is absolutely neces- N s TS S R R W R VN T P T T D e D R R 4 W