The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, August 22, 1921, Page 5

‘the opportunity of answering the -for the organizer to get around. ‘the prospects of making the League ‘bigger and stronger than ever during ¥ Leaguers Say “Let’s Go ”_—Big Drive On 2 B\ Farmers Answer the Question in Qur Last Issue—National and State Offices of League Plan Big Educational and Organization Campaign BY THE EDITOR E HERE at the Leader office didn’t have any doubt about the response that readers would make to the ques- tion we asked in the last issue: “Shall the League and the Leader put on a big educational and organization cam- paign this fall and winter?” While the harvest is .on and most farmers are too busy to read or write much, we have heard from several hundred read- ers—so many that it will be impossible in this is- sue to more than summarize their replies. In the next and subsequent issues, however, we expect to print in full many of the best ietters. In the mean- time, let us hear from the'gest of you. There are many districts we haven’t heard from. The Leader wants advice and suggestions from as many of you as can spare the time to write. “The time is ripe—let’s go”—that is the gist of the letters we have so far received. As one farmer puts it: “They have given us an awful skinning during this so-called deflation. But they can’t rob us of the League, and I believe that if we stick to the League we can put up a fight that will force them to take notice and do something to put agriculture on its feet.” Nearly every letter makes some reference to the “ripeness” of the present time as a time to extend the League organization. Says a Montana farmer: “I think that by now most farmers who were doubtful about the League and its program have had their eyes opened. The ruinous prices for farm produce, the credit squeeze and the continued high prices of what we must buy, have caused the worst situation that farmers have had to face in my memory, and I am-not a young man. This is caus- ing farmers to think. League farmers always did think, but what I mean is, it is causing farmers who did not join the League and who never both- . ered about political and economic problems, to use their think tanks. In my opinion more farmers than ever will be willing to listen to our pro- gram. It was never a better time to push organization and educational work. A South Dakota farmer writes that .when deflation hit him it knocked him out for a while. He didn’t see the use of doing anything and despaired of - ‘being able to wake up the people to conditions and the remedy. LEAGUE ONLY BODY THAT CAN FIGHT “But,” this man continued, “I began to get pretty sore, and everything the present state and national politicians did and said in a weak attempt to meet the situation, made me madder yet. And finally I got so ‘het up’ I decided that anything we can do, in a united, organized way, is needed, no matter how small and hopeless it may seem. To be frank, I want to fight and I don’t see how I can get into any kind of a decent fight against persons and institutions responsible for this highway robbery of farmers except : through the Nonpartisan league. So I’'m ready to go. Let’s organize as we never have before and push the Leader all we can. I am actually beginning to believe we can raise a rumpus in the campaigns next year that will bring results.” Not a few correspondents seized question to send in the renewal of their Leader subscription, and others sent their League dues, not waiting Not a reply was pessimistic about the coming fall and winter. Many of the letters have valuable suggestions about the organization work, speaking campaign and Leader -circulation L g S Sl A RS S e S A A D B S T R R RS The Leader summarizes here a few of the letters we have already gotten from readers regarding the educational and organization drive for the coming fall and winter. Most of the letters came in the last two days we were mak- ing up this issue, so the best letters, which we are going to print in full, can not be used till the next and subsequent editions. But in the meantime we want more letters. Many districts we haven’t ‘heard from at all. “Shall the League seize the present opportunity to put on a great educational and or- ganization drive this fall and winter?” That is the question. Is the time ripe? What suggestions have you to make regarding the Leader and its plan to increase its circulation? ~“What advice ~ or suggestions about organization work and the lecture and speaking campaign this fall and winter, which will be put on if organization returns warrant it? Also, the campaign next year—what are your ideas about it? We want to hear from every district. drive, and some of the best will be printed in full in subsequent issues. Lots of the letters deal largely in local state affairs and would not be of great interest to farmers in other states. A big feature of the replies is the general dissat- isfaction with the Harding administration. “We are getting what we ought to have known we would. get when we elected the reactionary N // \;\\, Republican bunch < / S - in the person of — = Harding,” says S/, ~ _ O one writer. )} P N “Count me in on any plan to put up a devilish hard battle to rid PAGE FIVE : * EADER —Drawn expressly for the Leader by John M. Baer. the country of the present big business group in control of the national administration,” says an- other. Another writes: “I'm in it with you for another two years. It makes the fourth time I have come through with biennial League dues, and I’ll stick till the last dog is hung. I get my money’s worth out of the Leader, and the way the League makes the kept press, pol- iticians. and big business crooks squirm, pays big dividends to me.” “Why do you ask such a silly question?” asks another farmer.. “Put on a big organization and educational campaign this fall and winter? Sure! What are the League and Leader for? Who thought you would do anything else? Thaf’s what we are ‘coming through’ out here on the farms for—to fur- nish you fellows at headquarters with money and backing to keep plutocrats and their press and pol- iticians on the run.” In answer to that we say we WILL, but we have to have the money and backing FIRST. In the meanwhile the national and state offices of the League are preparing for a big organization and educational drive. During the summer months, when the farmers had not yet recovered from the repeated jolts they got during the deflation which began last fall, the organization work was mo bet- ter than average. But now that the crops are about made and the farmers have had a chance to re- cover from their first feeling of hopelessness, all state offices report an increase in memberships and a revival of organization work. The League was hampered, and is yet, as were its publications, with lack of funds to push the work as it should be. Re- serve funds had been used up in the campaigns last year. But this handicap will be overcome as the membership renewals begin to come in in large numbers, as they are starting to. But it means every member doing his duty. NATIONAL ORGANIZATION MANAGER SAYS BIG CAMPAIGN IS NECESSARY “If the organization work warrants it, as it shows every chance .of doing,” said D. C. Dorman, na- tional organization manager, “we will put on a great educational lecture and speaking campaign in all states where we have members. This is needed to interest farmers in the League who have not been members and do not get the League pub- lications. But it takes money to do this. The or- ganization work must be made to show a profit before that and other things, to push the work and make for political victories next year, can be done. “If the salary and expenses of an organizer eats up all the membership dues he collects, there is ob- viously nothing left for the speaking bureau and the reserve campaign fund for next year. But if the farmers renew promptly and the organizer has little or no difficulty in getting lots of members in his territory every day, it means he turns into state headquarters enough to pay all his ex- penses and furnish money for the ed- ucational work, to finance new organ- izers starting the work and build up . the campaign reserve funds for next year. “The spirit among Leaguers was never better. They want the League and they are going to stay in. They realize that the only real, fighting or- ganization the farmers have must be kept in the field. But some of them have been lazy about renewing promptly. That is -being corrected now, as reports I have from various states show. But if we are to make an impression next year, as we easily can if every one does his duty, every member must be on his toes and assist the organizer as much as possible whenever he can. “We are systemizing our plans for the hardest drive for new members we ever made, this fall and winter, but if this is to be the success it should, old members must co-operate. ~ An organizer ought not to have to waste time on getting renewals—they ought to come in automatically.”