The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, August 9, 1920, Page 3

IN THE INTEREST OF A SQUARE |~ DEAL FOR THE FARMERS Mln'nea{';)lls; Minn,, under the -act of March 3, 1879, ) Cenn] Jlonparfisan Teader A MACAZINE THAT DARES TO A PRINT THE TRUTH One year, in adyance, six months, $1.50, 0 2,503 - sified rates on classmes page’ oth S i dyvertising rates Publication address, 427 Sixth avenue S., Minneapolis, ¥ % 5 el Minn, Address all remittances to Thé Nonparcisst Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League—Eyery Two Weeks 8 PP Beckwiin Speial v ‘.’“:‘zi‘.‘én‘iix.?é“i%{.‘;‘,‘éé’é‘:: Leader, Box 2075, Minneapolis, Minn, "~ OLIVER 8. MORRIS, Editor.. -~ ~ tatives, Now York, Chicago, 14 Louis, Kansas City. et \ VOL; 11, NO.5 - M APOLIS, MINNESOTA, AUGUST 9, 1920 WHOLE NUMBER 252 LABOR AND THE PLATFORMS - R FTER condemning the Republican platform for its refusal to recognize the principles and issues proposed by labor, the : American Federation of Labor reports on the Democratic Dlatform—and fails to approve it. But the statement issued by the federation, signed by Gompers and the executive~committee, pre- tends to find the Democratic platform in a “measure” better than the Republican, so far as labor is concerned. The statement says; In summarizing it is bub faif to say that the Democratic platform marks a measure of progress not found in the platform of the Repub- —lican party, In relation to labor’s proposals the planks written into the Democratic.platform more nearly approximate the desired declara- tions of human rights than do the planks found in the Republican platform. i ; : ! : Even this, we think, is conceding the Democrats too much. ~Even though Gompers may find the Democratic platform a shade ‘' better than the Republican, should labor vote for the Democratic candidate as the “least objectionable,” on the basis of the two plat- forms, without considering the Democratic party RECORD, under Burleson and Palmer? We think not. Overshadowing all other is- sues, so far as labor is concerned, is Palmer’s persecution of the Iabor unions in the courts, Burleson’s handling of postoffice em- - ployes and the record of the Wilson administration generally in de- nial b’clo workers of the constitutional rights of free speech and as- . Sembly. 4 ' : In his summary of the Democratic platform Gompers uses strange logic. One of labor’s demands was “protection against un- warrantable issuance of writs of injunction, either prohibitory or - mandatory, and guaranteeing the right of trial by jury in alleged contempt cases, committed cutside the presence of courts.” In other _ words, labor wanted a guarantee that what Palmer did in the coal 7 Pty 0 005 R strike would not happen again.. And what did labor get in the Dem- ocratic platform? Nothing! Yet Gompers’ summary has the temerity to say: R | ~“However, failure of the platform to indorse the injunctions se- cured through the efforts of Attorney General Palmer in the miners’ ~case may fairly be assumed to constitute repudiation.of that action. With such logic does Gompers comfort himself! Or, take the matter of the suppression of free speech—the persecution of citi- zens, largely workers, for expressions of their opinions. Labor de- manded this plank: ' o i The very life and perpetuity of free and democratic institutions are dependent upon freedom of speech, of the press and of assemblage and association. ‘We insist that all restriction of freedom of speech, ress, public assembly, association and travel be completely removed,. individuals and groups being responsible for their utterances and ac- tions.. These fundamental rights must be set out with clearness and - must not be denied or abridged in any manner. g o : g - And in response, what did the Democratic platform builders grant? The following: : : We resent the unfounded reproaches directed against the Demo- cratic administration for alleged interferences with the freedom of the press and freedom of speech. No utterance from any quarter has been assailed, and mno publication has been repressed which has not been animated by “treasonable purpose and -directed against the nation’s peace, order and security in time of war. LA : This is an arrant falsehood. . It is insolence. - Yet Gompers can find “reasons,”’ after comparing the platforms, which enable him ~virtually to recommend the support of the Democrats by labor be- : _1(1lse they are the “least objectionable” of the two old parties. Ye gods! ; ; g T : _ PRODUCTION AND PRICES THE daily newspaper reader has been gorged with statements . B from business men, editors and others that the trouble with : the country today is “underproduction”—that when produc- tion again becomes normal in all lines prices will go down and ‘“un- ‘rest” cease. The campaign for increased production has been par- PAGE THREE ; T e : - ticularly directed at the farmer. He has been implored, urged and hounded by every Tom, Dick and Harry who could get into print, and the burden of the laments and warnings have been that the farmer must “speed up.”? ¢ “ In front of us at this minute is a circular and “news item’’ for publication sent out by the National Security league, that body of unofficial witch-hunters which made a nuisance of itself during the war and has since devoted itself to meddlesome ‘“Americanization” plans. The Security league warns of an impending shortage of - farm products and higher prices for food. It urges everybody wh MORE | PRopuciion® can to volunteer for farm work, to help the farmer get in the crop, *if we are to keep production up, stave off a food shortage and. pre- vent higher prices. This appeal, according to the Security league, has the indorsement of Secretary of Agriculture Meredith. . But in today’s newspapers we read that many of the big woolen mills are shutting down, and that woolen manufacturers are taking ‘action to curtail production. ‘We* read that Sydney Hillman says that efforts to reduce clothing prices, which are outrageous, will-be nullified by this action of the manufacturers. But we also find-that the same press that has been urging more production by the farmer has now come to the defense of the woolen manufacturers who are closing factories. For instance, the St. Paul Pioneer Press advances in behalf of the curtailing of woolen manufacture the>following “argument’’; > A ‘In the clothing sector of the economic cycle, inflation has pro- ceeded so rapidly that it has outstripped ability to pay. Demand has fallen off, jobbers are calling for settlements, and merchants are being forced to raise money by reducing stock at cut prices. The woolen mills find themselves unable to operate at sufficiently low costs, and have no alternative but to close down to avoid being caught with ma- terial they can not sell. The consequence is a natural economic one. Instead of operating to increase or to maintain prices, this process is bound to result in lower prices if it is carried -to its logical conclusion. Curtailment of industry means curtailment of the buying power of the public. = Demand will therefore lapse. The next steps are lower - prices, lower operating costs and a-return to_something more near like the pre-war cost of living. ek s In other words, we must INCREASE food production to lower food prices, even if the farmer goes broke, but to lower prices of manufactured articles we must DECREASE production. Of course, the Pioneer Press is utterly dishonest in its position. Like most of the rest of the big daily press the Pioneer.Press is a defender of ° profits for big business, no matter how hard the consumer is hit, but a great.friend of the consumer when it comes to food prices, because no big advertisers are hurt when overproduction and low prices ruin the farm producer. ) UNDERHANDED TACTICS : THE'Country Gentleman is apparently printing for circula- tion in pamphlet form thousands of copies of its articles at- ; tacking the organized farmers of the Northwest. Supplies iof these pamphlet attacks on North Dakota are evidently furnished any *one who will circulate them. We have before us a Country _Gentleman pamphlet, containing some of the anti-League cartoons and material used by the Curtis outfit in its publications. The last page of the pamphlet contains a blank on which to subscribe for - the C. G., and across the front page is the wording: “Compliments of Lynch Davidson, candidate for lieutenant governor.” The pam- _phlet was circulated in Texas by this officeseeker. . - . The Curtis publications, it seems, are not beneath even using E AW