Crusade?

When is a farmer "embattled"?

When he writes to the newspapers? When he goes to a mass meeting? When officers of his union or association say that he is or should be embattled?

Last fortnight the U. S. farmer was pronounced embattled by Governor Adam McMullen of Nebraska. Other politicians supporting Candidate Lowden for the Presidency chimed in. They said the U. S. farmer was angry because President Coolidge had vetoed the McNary-Haugen bill, which contained a sales tax ("equalization fee") to be levied on consumers to guarantee the U. S. farmer higher prices. Governor McMullen called for a "crusade" of 100,000 farmers, to demonstrate at the G. O. P. Convention in Kansas City. Governor McMullen went to Chicago and there declared that the number of farmers who would actually "hop in the family car and head down the concrete" for Kansas City, would exceed 100,000, perhaps reach 150,000. He said he had already received 15,000 letters in actual farmer handwriting assuring him the "crusade" was on. "The first caravan [of the Covered Wagon] developed the agricultural empire ; the second caravan is moving to protect it," he said.

Candidate Lowden's manager in Kansas City announced that each crusading farmer would be in uniform: overalls and straw hat.

Newsgatherers scoured the Midwest for corroboration of all this exciting news. Governor A. G. Sorlie of North Dakota reported that his State would send a motor squadron and that he would lead it. Chairman William Hirth of the Corn Belt Federation reported from Des Moines, la., that the 1,000,000 farmers represented by himself and colleagues would "make a last stand for equality of opportunity . . . at Kansas City"; that if either Mr. Coolidge or Mr. Hoover were nominated, it would "result in a wholesale bolt of the party by the farmers."

In Minnesota, farmers were reported to be rallying "by thousands." A Minnesota politician explained that the Equalization Fee had "become a symbol."

In Kansas, the number of farmers pre paring to motor through their State and across the Kaw River to the convention was estimated by a Topeka observer at 50,000.

President W. H. Settle of the Indiana Farm Bureau Federation, said that 50 or 75 Hoosier farmers would be taken to Kansas City in special Pullmans attached to the Indiana delegation's train.

The Chicago Tribune published a suggestion that C. C. Pyle, who promoted the cross-continent "bunion derby," should be engaged to manage the "crusade" and make it a "high class and well organized parade."

Conflicting reports came in.

At Oklahoma City, Editor Carl Williams of the Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman said: "Some farm politicians will be there, but not many farmers. Actual surveys show that, in the Southwest at least . . . less than 30 per cent, [of farmers] have been definitely in favor of the McNary-Haugen bill."

President John Vesecky of the Kansas Cooperative Wheat Marketing Association discounted the Topeka report by saying there would be few wheat-growers in the "crusade." "So far as I know, President Coolidge's veto . . . has failed to arouse enough indignation to warrant the farmers leaving their harvest fields and making a show of themselves. ... I don't believe the wheat farmers of Nebraska and Colorado are interested either."

Henry J. Allen, onetime (1919-23) Governor of Kansas and publisher of the Wichita Beacon reported: "As a matter of fact, the farmers of Kansas recognize this movement as politics. It is too obviously an effort to organize a political demonstration at Kansas City by the same gentlemen who have carried on a political demonstration in Washington all winter and who sacrificed constructive farm legislation in order to keep alive a political issue against the Administration. It is my belief that they cannot use any genuine farmers for a motive so palpable. . . . The greatest danger of this advertised revolt, as I see it, is to the revolters. June is harvest month. ..."

Though the "crusade's" promoters only meant their efforts to coerce the Republican Party, Democrats took advantage of the situation. In particular, Jesse Holman Jones, financial "angel" of the Houston convention, issued an invitation to disgruntled farmers to take their troubles to Houston. Perhaps thoughtlessly but perhaps as a subtle threat, Senator Capper of Kansas, in a McNary-Haugenizing editorial in his weekly newspaper, quoted Owen D. Young on the farm-subject. "Cheap food is produced by intelligent, progressive and prosperous farmers," Mr. Young had said. Republican Senator Capper was doubtless aware, as is many another person, that Democrat Owen D. Young, Chairman of the General Electric Co., is Candidate Smith's choice for the next Secretary of the Treasury.

But what about the actual farmers themselves? Did a real "crusade" of 100,000 impend? Besides last fortnight's mass-meetings in Illinois, at Springfield, Galesburg and De Kalb, all of which were summoned by Lowden's Lieutenants in his own home State, no further rural demonstrations were reported. All the news of a "gigantic movement in 14 states" emanated from Lowden headquarters in Chicago and Kansas City. In Dubuque, Iowa, for example, the biggest local farm news was that the Dubuque County Farm Bureau would hold its annual outing at Dyersville, Iowa, on June 12 (the day the Kansas City convention starts). President W. F. Schilling of the Twin City Milk Producers' Association (St. Paul, Minn.) was to be chief speaker.

In Kansas City, Kan., the Wyandotte County Farm Bureau announced that the annual Kaw Valley potato tour would be held on June 13, 14, 15 (the most likely nominating days of the G. O. P. Convention). The first stop was to be at Farmer Charles Speaker's, in Turner Bottom, at 8;30 a. m., to discuss seed, fertilizer and tuber tests. Then, on to the Brothers - Philibert's place, then to Farmer John W. Taylor's, then to Farmer Roy Williamson's, etc., etc.

At Lincoln, Neb., capital of Nebraska and the very seat of Governor McMullen's "crusade," the State Journal (leading daily) asked: "What would Mr. Lowden, who threatened not to run if farm relief was not an issue, do if he found his issue suddenly wafted away?"