The Farm-Labor Union News (Texarkana, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 26, 1925 Page: 4 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 27 x 21 in. Digitized from 35 mm microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
ional Officials to the membership what they will do for them but
AS OTHERS SEE US.
/
I
ANSWERS S. H. MONK.
N
I
J
/
t
a
LUXURIES AND MECESSITTS•
4
D
Col. Jones
'8!
S
9
ti
FederaiI
JU NATION?
A
There are said to be some 12,803,047
E
urban homes in t
these 4,707,715 are
)
from the Federal hi
6
ized.
Big Business is all
/
SANK STUFF
{
W. J. KYLE,
National Secretary.
national office asks us to notify all new-addess
$
J
7,
a nce
are i
a
1526
—4—
■
I PRES FITZWAT
1
And you never hear them wrangle.
They are not like we farmers,
Who are always in a tangle.
The rich never fuss and snarl,
And fight with one another,
They let nothing come between them,
And are agreeable with each other.
Whydon’t you get together?
Like Big Business and organize.
Put some speed into your work,
And show them you are wise,
it’s time that you were waking up.
To your own condition, and realize,
While you are doing all the work.
Big Business is grabbing the prize.
suit the policies of some financial interests. If the membership of
the Farm-Labor Unien wants their cotton shipped to government
* some other appreved by the government, then they
France is now engaged in two rather
lively wars; in Syria and in Morocco.
From time to time you probably will
see items in the newspapers here and i
there telling of the barbarities practic-
ed on captured French soldiers by the
Syrians and the Moors. There will no
doubt be the usual stories of torture
and inhuman treatment, of wholesale
slaughter and so on.
Take it all with a grain of salt. Re-
member how a British army officer
NATIONAL OFFICIALS OF
FHE FARM-LABOR UNION
all Letters to:
MM NEWS, Be* 766, Texark-
I. what the membership can do for themselves if they want to.
You further say in your letter: “In reading your articles in
the paper, I notice that you never advance any new ideas, but it
W. J. KYLE, Manager ,
ELMISWILMIAMS, Assistant Manager.
. SUBSCRIPTION BATES
Texas, Avenue, Texarkana, Texas.
as second-class matter July 26, 1024
he United States: of
e owned and the bal-
• rented by their occupants. There
also 11,548,629 rural homes, of
(Under Bond to F. L U. of A.)
Varmem Peduee Euchange—E. Davis,
Manager, 1509 Summit Ave. East St. Louis,
In following an----
by our Pilgrim forefathers. We will this
day retum thanks to our Creator for
the many blessings which we have re-
in ear course of so doing, the men-
tears of the Farm-Labor Union of Amer-
iea many things for which to be
thankful, and still, every non-Union
A--— in the South, should return
I
at the postoffice of Texarkana, Tex. Ark. un-
der Act of March 3, 1879.
warehouses or
must amend the constitution and have it to read that way, and
then your National Officials will see that it is carried out. Your
■ ......-
6
1
I ■ I
Vies-President—-J. W. Wilson, Dorsey, Miss.
Seeretary-Treasurer—W. J. Kyle, Texarkana
Warn, Box 193.— Phone 1522. ______
Natienai Eueeutive Committee. B. A. Calloway
Dike, Tex.; A W. Whittle, R-2, Ringling,
Okla; A. M. Hilliard, Secretary, R-2, Can-
Sea, Tex.; N. S. Crawford, Kerens, Tex.; J.
M. Teague Arkadelphia, R-3, Ark
STATEHEADQUARTERS:
PM- W. J. Kyle, (Acting) Sec.-Treas.
Texarkana, Texas.
benefits have con e in many shapes and
fernis. one of th? most conspicious is
a letter price beine received for non-
Union cotton as well as Union cotton.
Alow no to enumerate a few of the
things which we should on tisis day re-
turn thanks to our Great Creator for:
Our members who have remained
LOYAL to our National Sales Agency
have been greatly rewarded in increased
prices for toe products of their toil,
thereby enabling them to better feed
and elothe their families, and put them
in a financial position to bettereducate
Mr children, assuring them a more
equal chance in this wolrd, thereby put- ,
ting toe rising generation in a better
position to come up to the standard of
American citizens.
Our organization has performed won-
ers in bringing together those who feed
and clothe the world, in promoting a
more brotherly feeling and understand-
ing, and in educating the rural popula-
ton as to the economic necessity of eon-
errted action.
And last but not least, let us all re-
turn thanks for the Divine guidance of
our oifieinis in prevailing against all ef-
forts to retard the progress of the F. L.
U. of A.—Amen. •
National Officials are not to make laws, 4 but they are elected to
execute the laws that are made by the bedy. •
Another thng your National Officials did not approve of re-
garding the Federal loans was that you could not borrow this mon-
ey for less than six months. In other words, if you put your cot-
ton in the Houston warehouse or in any other warehouse approved
by them. you could not borrow money on that cotton for less than
six months and if it so happened that your cotton was sold within
thirty days or any other length of time under the six months, you
would have to pay the interest on the money you borrowed for the
full six months provided some other cotton didn’t take the place
of yours when sold, but we had no assurance that other cotton
would take its place. \
Another thing they required that I dn‘t believe would have
suited you and that is: If you and I ship our cotton to the govern-
ment warehouse and I wanted to borrow money and you didn’t
want to borrow, your cotton stood gend for my debt and for the
debts of all others that did borrow. This would not have suited
the membership of the Farm-Labor Union, in fact the National
Officials could not make such a contract with these bankers when
they had no constitutional authority to do so. If the membership '
wants to adopt these policies and will make it constitutional, your
officials will see that it is carried out, otherwise they havesmiright
to sign over the membership of the Farm-Labor Union dAmerica
baggage, boots and britches to some financial interest.
There is another proposition that is offered by the Interme-
diate Credit bank that your National Officials unalterably favor,
and that is the establishing of rural credit banks for the growing
and marketing of cotton. What I mean is this, in any county, or
in any compress district, or state there can be banks established-
upon the following terms if I understand it correctly:
You farmers at Farmersville or anywhere ese can organize
a rural credit borrowing association with a ten thousand dollar
stock, that its bank stock is ten thousand dollars, one hundred men
can put in one hundred dollars each and form a ten thousand dol-
lar bank stock as a foundation, or a thousand men can put in ten
dollars each and form the same and they can borrow from the In-
termediate Credit bank ten times the amount of stock, th;t is if
you have ten thousand dollar stock you can borrow one hundred
thousand dollars with the same collateral that you would have to
put up at other banks. If your bank stock is twenty thousand
dollars, you can borrow two hundred thousand dollars ami so on
This is up to the membership wherever and whenever they see fit
to establish such institution, but your National Officials cannot
com. around and form the stock for you. The membership must
de that themselves. This organization, my dear Mr. Monk is just
what the membership make it. This is not a promise of the Na-
Factories which produee luxuries are
working full time in virtually every
section of the United States, according
to the latest monthly report on indus-
trial conditions of the U. S. Depart-
ment of Labor.
And, while full employment is re-
ported from many places in industries
producing the essentials, such as steel,
coal, clothing, houses, etc, the report
shows that conditions are “spotty”
throughout the country and that some
sections are reporting work slack and
factories and foundries dosed down.
Another feature of the report is the
great movement from the farm to the
city. "Shortage of farm labor, due to
labor moving to the cities," is a phrase
repeated over and over again, from the
department’s correspondents all over
the country.
Manufacture of radios and radio parts
rubber goods, silk fabrics and hose,
candy, tobacco. automobiles etc, all
industries report full time employment
in almost all sections.
The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
shows our dollar to have a purchasing
power of only 40 cents, hence the slack
purchasing of even necessities by the
average farmer and labqier, who com-
prise the majority of our population,
while in the cities toe “Silk Stocking
Brigade” arc becoming more able year
after year to afford the luxuries.—Oh
Lord! When will the tide turn?
•kt Farm-Labor Union Newt
Niational Official organ of The Farm-
Iabor Union of America
(PUBLISHED WEEKLY)
Published by the national executive com-
mittee of the Fann-Labor Union of America,
which 6,159,245 are owned by their oe-
cupants. Rural and urban homes make
24,351,676 homes in America, of which
17,003,191 are either rented or mortgag-
ed, according to investigations made by
the Women’s Bureau of the Department
of Labor. Investigation in the coal
fields reveald that home ownership was
in direct ratio to the strength of the
United Mine Workers of America. In
West Virginia, where the union is not
organized, only 12 per cent of the min-
ers own their homes, while 78 per cent
occupy company houses. In Alabama,
65 per cent live in company houses, and
in Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky and
Tennessee the number of company
houses is 64 per cent. Illinois leads
all states in home ownership, 50 per
cent of the miners there owning their
homes, while only 8 per cent live in
company houses. ♦
In commenting on these statistics,
the Rockford (III.) Labor News says:
"Those organizations which really re-
sire prosperity will do well to consider
these figures. A prosperous land is a
land of home owners. With these stag-
gering figures onesees how ridiculous
is all the talk of our prosperity- Let us
build our unions and cooperative organi-
zations stronger if we want prosperity
that really counts.”
NOTICE TO STATE SECRETARIRS
You are requested to notify this
office, giving name and number of
those duly elected as delegates from
your state conventions to the nation-
al convention. Please do not delay
in this.
(In connection with the above relative to our transactions
withh the Intermediate Credit Bank, we wish to reproduce below
extracts from our National Attorney T. N. Jones, which were puD-
lished in the Union News of Nov. 12. it will be remembered Col.
Jones investigated the Intermediate Credit Act prior to the meet-
ing of our Excutiv Committees in Dallas on August 18th.—Editor)
I have in my possession a letter from Mr. S. H. Monk of
Fa mersville, Texas which I am going to answer in part'through
the Union News. Mr. Monk seems to Im- confused regarding the
marketing plans in the constitution of the Farm-Labor I mon of
America. The object 9f ah swering this letter through the Union
News is not to reflect/upon, nor criticize Brother Monk, but to in-
ferm others df the same that I am attempting to inform Brother
Monk. The first paragraph of his letter reads as follows:
/ “Fai mersviile. Texts, November 12th.
"Mr. W. W. Fitzwer,
“Bonham, Texa, .
Dear Sir.
“I have just read th' last issue of the F. L. U. News and find that all
we boys at the forks of the creek are getting out of this is promises, in
fact that is about all we have ever gotten. I have been a member of this o’-
ganization since it was orgenized in Collin county and have tried to he cp
in close touch with the working and it seems to me that everything that
we have attempted has been a complete failure. You very well know, Mr.
Fitzwater, that we were promised last spring that there would be arrange-
ments made for cheap money for the handling of our cotton this fall, but
right at the time when we were in need of the money promised, we got word
through the Union News that the National Officials had completely failet
to do the thing- promised. Now please tell me why was it, because they
didn’t bave th? executive ability or was it because they just didn't try,"
As far as I know the National Officials haven’t promised any
such tiling as stated in the above letter. The only thing that I
know of that has been said regarding cheap money or financing
the cotton is in the constitution of the Farm-Labor Union, Article
1, Section 15 which reads as follows: "There shall be established
at all district cempress points a Rural Credit Association IF POS-
SIBLE for the purpose of financing the distressed cotton of that
! ■ particular district. But if it is not possible, or proctical to estab-
] lish such Rural Credit Association then the executive committee
of that District Uaion shall make arrangements with some bank-
ing institution or institutions as near as possible to said compress
point to take care of the financial emergency. When such arrange-
j ments have been made, preference must be given to that bank or
banks in depositing monies coming into the district treasury as
long as said banks are financially solvent." >
The membership of the Farm-Labor Union of America made
this law,, it became effective by referendum vote, and not the Na-
tional Officials, as you affirmed in vour letter. If you have not
| had such a financial system established at your compress points
| as provided for in the above law, it is not the fault of the National
Official- It is not the National Officials’ business to establish
f these local banks. The National Executive Committee has promis-
| ed nothing that it has not carried out to my knowing.
You say: “We were promised last spring that there wouid
F be arrangements made for cheap money for handling of our et-
l ton this fall, but right at the time when we were in need of the
money promised, we got news thru the F. L. U. News that the Na-
tional Officials had completely failed to do the things promised.”
I flately deny again that the National Officials promised you
these things, there had been perhaps promises made through oth-
er sources, then you wind up your paragraph by saying: "Now
please tell me why wait it. because they don’t have the executive
ability or was it becausthey just didn’t trv?”
The National Executiye Officials HAD the ability not to over-
E ride the constitution and hogtie the membership and force them
to ship their cotton to government bonded warehouses and not to
i compress warehouses as the constitution provides.
We had a meeting in Dallas last August composed of the
National and State Officials. Someere had invited the Inter-
mediate Credit bank officials to meet with us, they came and thelr
proposition was to loan the money on cotton to finance the mar-
keting of it, we would have to ship our cotton to government bone
ed warehouses and they preferred the Houston tended warehouse,
and demanded that our cotton be shipped to that warehous or some
other warehouse approved by them.
We had NO constitutional authority for such shipment and
such ware-houses, but our constitution provides that we ship
the cotton to compress warehouses, therefore the Nation- Offi
cials could not and would not over rule the constitution and in open
violation of some, make such an agreement with the Intermediate
Credit bankers of Houston. The National Officials do not propose
to change laws or biolate them that the organization has made to
* ■ ‘ -
BIG BUSINESS IB SGRABBING THE PRIZE.
By Ea X Cordon.
Mr. Farmer. I don’t know what you think.
But you appear to tee pretty slow,
Why don’t you get a little pep?
This to yourselves you owe.
Don’t let Big Business gouge yon.
And squeeze from you, what you earn.
They keep your nose to the grindstone.
And you and your family spurn.
STATE SECRETARY concerned, and especially lassi and
county secretaries in Mississippi that
Mb office has been moved from Mate
MOVES OFFICE. Springs to Hohenlenden, Miss. AH
State Secretary J. B. Ellard, of the matter for the stnte office should to
Mississippi division in a letter to the aidressed ta Seeretary Fllard at his
11 is almost an everyday oceurance
for the Union News or the National
Secretary to receive enquiries from per-
sons in other states, or even some times
in other countries where the Farm-La-
bar Union is scarcely known aboui our
organization,’and wishing us God speed
in our efforts to release the Southern
Cotton Farmer from his present condi-
tion of economic slavery.
One of the recent and most interest-
ing enquiries of this nature that has
• been received, is a letter from Mr. R.
L. Hunt, a student in the Agricultural
College of North Carolina which will
be found elsewhree in this issue.
To show how others see us, who are
watching our great fight in behalf of
he who feeds and clothes the world, we
wish to call your attention to the fol-
lowing paragraphs of Mr. Hunt’s letter:
"After observing whal your organization
has been doing in East Texas the last three
years and after studying your contracts, plans
l for co-operative businesses, etc. I have conclud-
ed that your organization is now offering the
best advantages to the farmers to loose h*
honds of economic slavery.
“Your liberal contract, cooperative stares,
etc., should appeal to the farmers in the cot-
ton states east of the Mississippi River.
“If we can interest the young men that are
going to remain on the farm in such organi-
zation as yen have, perhaps we will aee a more
d t of av amima ha Cumaama I aau
FVVPE ■ 4 v • V E MHEEVE UWNEH UIC VTTUEINe 1 MN
of the opinion that the farmers’ problem is
one of di a trihut io a and not otie of produetion."
As the great writer Ralph Waldo
Emerson once said:
seems to mostly be a rehearse of the things we have been hearing
for the pas tfive years.” No, I am not advancing any new ideas
in my articles until the membership carries out the old ideas. My
articles, if you'll re-read them are explaining the constitution and
using my executive power in trying to get the membership and
agents to cany out the plans of the Farm-Labor Union of America.
You know that but very few compress agents are obeying the
rules of the Farm-Labor Union, neither are they obeying toe
rules in the contract that they hold. This contract is being run
in the Farm-Labor Union News each week so the membership can
see and understand what the duty is of the compress sales agent.
What the Farm-Labor Union is attempting to do at present
and has for the entire season is to centralize the cotton samples
in big pool lots under a certain selling agency so its agencies can
do business that is paying to the membership. One paragraph in
the aforesaid contract will prove this assertion; that is the as-
sembling of all the cotton together. The contract says in part
regarding the compress agent, to sample each and every hate of
cotton coming under his jurisdiction which is not sold for forward
delivery, taking a fair sample from each side of each bate and im-
mediately forwarding same prepaid to the state selling agency of
that particular state, or if no state agency is established, then
to the National Selling Agency of the Farm-Labor Union of Am-
erica. In place of doing this, many agents have sold toe cotton
themselves and have failed to co-operate with the agencies men-
■ tioned above. \
The National Sales Agent, Mr. Barksdale says regarding too
county and district agencies: “The marketing season will soon close
and many of, you have not had a single bale of cotton sold thro
this agency Those of you that have not given us an opportunity
to serve you do not know whether it could have saved you money
or not.” -
In my opinion, there should be an amendment to too constitu-
tion cutting out the district salesma, or in other words make a
sampler out of him and not a seller, giving him no chance what-
ever to sell, but to forward the samples unconditionally to too Na-
tional Sates, Agency. 7 *
I believe that every salesman should be cut out except ONE. I
believe in the compress plan as we have it except in too large a
district where it brings about conjestion at the compress. I be
lieve in cutting out all unnecessary units, thus eliminating a great
amount of marketing expenses. I favor the Collin eounty loeal
proposed amendment in a recent issue of toe Union News with
few exeeptions. (The Callis Local Ne. 19, of Collin county is be
ing reproduced in this issue upon special request—diton
Now dear Brother Monk in conclusion, I want to say to you
and to others, the constitution as it now reads is praeticaif too
confessed to faking tales of
atrocities during the world
1 7“ f
-1 - •
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Farm-Labor Union News (Texarkana, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 26, 1925, newspaper, November 26, 1925; Texarkana, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1558494/m1/4/: accessed July 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .