AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

497

ally during four years the farmers’ price level approached the business men’s price
level until the Supreme Court’s decision in 1925, followed by the concerted raising
of prices by the business interests plus other unfavorable events for the farmers,
and their injuries affected most of the other groups, accompanied by the peaceful
revolution at the polls in the party in power, 1926.

In 1927 the slackening of demand for nonagricultural products was accom-
panied by price-cutting and the relative index number was up to 92 against last
October—a new industrial epoch is here, a period of intense competition.

The relative index number is published monthly in The Agricultural Situation
by the United States Department of Agriculture.

But you have not found in print nor has it been placed before you in these
hearings an accurate description of the world-wide industrial crisis, nor have
you been told the way out. An obscurity exists as to man’s future here on earth,
accompanied by intense suffering by a considerable portion of the peoples of
earth. However, an advance is again taking place and I am setting forth to
you the real explanation of the causation of the existing world-wide industrial
crisis, and I am describing the way out this year.
III. EicHTH YEAR OF CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT

The real explanation of the world-wide industrial crisis is that for now the
eighth consecutive year in this Republic there has existed conservative Govern-
ment—the Harding and Coolidge administrations, in connection with conserva-
tive majorities in both Houses. But there has existed an obscurity, as I have
said. and all is doubtless for the best in the long run.
THE PEOPLE'S PEACEFUL REVOLUTION. 1926

In 1925-26 under the leadership of the Iowa Bankers’ Association, there came
about at the polls in the 1926 primary election within the Republican Party the
people’s peaceful revolution. The vast economic losses to the growers of the
staple farm articles—wheat, cotton, corn, and the products of corn, the fattened
livestock—had extended to the other groups surrounding them, causing wide-
spread demand for agricultural relief and resulting in the defeat of a few Congress-
men for renomination—the Congressmen who had been standing with President
Coolidge. Notably Representative Tincher, of Kansas, did not attempt to enter
a contest for renomination.

The incoming Congress, the existing Seventieth Congress, is pledged to agri-
cultural relief, faced by another contest at the oncoming primary election for
renomination.

You, gentlemen of this House Committee on Agriculture, are taking testimony
as to the most feasible form for agricultural relief. I proceed to present a picture
of the world-wide industrial effects of the reactionarv economic policy of our
seven vears of conservative Government.
IV. OrcganizeD Business INTERESTS IN CoMMAND. 1921-1027

The organized business interests have been in command in this country during
1921 to 1927, inclusive, represented in the Government by officeholders who have
been applying the ideals of the said business interests.

Organized labor, however, is a balance of power industrially and politically,
and their leaders have stood for the Watson-Parker railway law, of 1926, and
got it. Wages and the conditions for the millions of railway workers are now
fixed by agreement between the railway capitalists and the said workers without
any veto power in the Government. Thus the Government has divested itself
of power to protect the public from extortionately high wages among the few
who are the leaders among the railway workers. And following the enactment
of the new law there came a 714 per cent raise in wages for the railway leaders, at
a time when the farmers were and are being robbed and nearly all of the ine
dustrial groups are clamoring for the farmers’ relief.

Further details of the existing system in which the organized business interests
have been in comand, 1921-1927, are as follows:

2. During those years there have existed the trade associations, one in each
channel of trade. and the Government did not hold the members of these trade