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 HD 1484.A4 1921f 
 
 Farm organrzations.Hearing before the Co 
 
 3 1924 013 716 430 
 
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 ! ARM ORGANIZATIONS 
 
 HEARING 
 
 MDl A^ 
 
 BEFORE THE 
 
 I '^ '2- M 
 COMMITTEE ON BAMING AND OUREENCY 
 
 OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
 
 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1921 
 
 i^ 
 
 «i 
 
 STATEMENTS OF 
 
 Dr. a. 0. TRUE, Director of States Relations Service, 
 Department of Agriculture 
 
 AND 
 
 Mr. GEORGE P. HAMPTON, Managing Director of 
 the Farmers' National Council, Washington, D. 0. 
 
 i.'!920 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1921 
 
C0MMITTEP3 ON BANKING AND CUKRENCY. 
 
 House of Repkesextatives. 
 
 sixty-sixth congeess, third session. 
 
 LOUIS T. McFADDEN, Pennsylvania, Chairman. 
 
 PORTER H. DALE, Vermont. 
 
 EOscoE c. Mcculloch, Ohio. 
 
 EDWARD J. KING, Illinois. 
 FRANK D. SCOTT, Michigan. 
 ADOLPHUS P. NELSON, Wisconsin. 
 JAMES G. STRONG, Kansas. 
 L. S. ECHOLS, West Virginia. 
 EDWARD S. BROOKS, Pennsylvania. 
 WILLIAM H. HILL, New York. 
 ROBERT LUCE, Massachusetts. 
 CLARK BUEDICK, Rhode Island. 
 
 MICHAEL P. PHELAN, Massachusetls. 
 JOB H. EAGLE, Texas. 
 OTIS WINGO, Arkansas. 
 HENRY B. STEAGALL, Alabama. 
 JAMES A. HAMILL, New Jersey. 
 AUGUSTINE LONERGAN, Connecticut. 
 CHARLES H. BRAND, Georgia. 
 W. P. STEVENSON, South Carolina. 
 
 Pbbdsbic H. Blackfobd, Olerk, 
 
 ^J 
 
 y 
 
 C./s c 
 
FARM OEGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Committee on Banking and Cuerenct, 
 
 House of Representatives, 
 Tuesday, February 15, 1921. 
 The committee reconvened, pursuant to the taking of the recess, 
 at 2.30 o'clock p. m., Hon. Louis T. McFadden (chairman) presiding. 
 ' The Chairman. Dr. True, we will hear you now. 
 
 Y Dr. True, we have been holding hearings in connection with the 
 ■farm organization, what they are, and what they are doing here, 
 and we got into it rather innocently, and the various organizations 
 have been appearing before the committee and giving us informa- 
 tion as to their work, how they are supported, what they are doing, 
 and a certain conflict seems to have arisen as to the proper function 
 of each one of these organizations and how the Department of Agri- 
 culture views that. And at the last meeting a certain letter that was 
 sent out by Mr. Smith, of the extension service, was brought into 
 the controversy, and the committee thought it best that you come 
 up and tell us something about the connection of the department 
 Hvith these various farm organizations. In the first place, I want 
 •to ask you a few questions, or perhaps you would prefer to proceed 
 in your own way before I propound these questions to you. 
 
 STATEMENT OP DR. A. C. TRUE, DIRECTOR OF STATES RELATIONS 
 SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 
 
 '.Dr. True. Of course, just as your judgment seems best; but pos- 
 sibly the situation might be clearer if I made just a brief general 
 statement. 
 
 The Chairman. All right. "We will listen to your statement, and 
 perhaps you will answer some of the questions I intended to pro- 
 pound to you without my asking them. 
 
 Dr. True. To understand the matter which your chairman has 
 suggested it is necessary to have in mind the general organization 
 and work of the agricultural extension service. 
 
 This work is organized under the act of Congress of May 8, 
 1914, commonly known as the Smith-Lever Extension Act, and re- 
 lated Federal and State legislation. The Smith-Lever Act pro- 
 vides for a broad system of popular instruction for our farming 
 people under the head of cooperative agricultural extension work. 
 That cooperation is primarily between the agricultural colleges in 
 the States which receive Federal funds under the Smith-Lever Act 
 and the Department of Agriculture, which is charged with the gen- 
 eral administration of the act and specifically with making mutual 
 agreements with the colleges for the conduct of this work. The act 
 evidently contemplates a broader cooperation than that with the farm- 
 ing people. It is based on the system of extension work which was 
 
 8 
 
4 FARM ORGANIZATItr:^,^. 
 
 already in vogue when the Smith-Lever Act Avas passed, especially 
 in the Southern, States. 
 
 This act provides for putting in the several counties at least 
 one permanent agent who will deal intimately with the farming 
 people of his county and will give them information and instruction 
 to carry out the purposes of the act. There may also be a woman 
 to deal with matters connected with the farm home. She is com- 
 monly known as a home demonstration agent. Under the act we 
 ]iow ha^e about 2,000 counties in the 48 States organized- with at 
 least a county agricultural agent, and about 800 of those counties 
 have a woman agent also. There are a considerable number of 
 agents also who deal with the boys' and girls' clubs, the corn clubs, 
 pig clubs, and so forth, ivho have been organized as a part of this 
 work under this act. Now, the cooperation, as I said, was to be a 
 broad one, and that is intended in the Smith-Lever Act by the 
 provisions for the contributions of funds to supplement the Federal 
 and State funds. That is found in section 3 of the act of May S', 
 1914, and reads as follows : 
 
 That no paynieiil: out of adflitional appropriations herein provided (whieli 
 are Federal apjiropriations) shall he made in any year to any State until an 
 equal sum' has been appropriated for that year by the legislature of such State, 
 or provided by State, county, college, local authority, or individual contri- 
 butions from within the State for the maiuteiianee of the cooperative agricul- 
 tural extt-nsion work provided in this act. 
 
 As the work has developed in the counties, it has been found that 
 the county agent could not do his best work by dealing simply witk 
 individuals. He has so many people to work with that that wou4 
 be impracticable. And so he has worked with a large number of 
 farm organizations, and the general policy of the department and 
 the colleges has been to be helpful as far as possible to farm organiza- 
 tions of various kinds. But as the work has further developed, it 
 has been found practically that we have to make certain distinctions' 
 in our cooperation between different classes of organizations of the 
 farm people. As you know, there are a great many of these organiza- 
 tions in the United States. They may roughly be classed in three 
 groups : 
 
 First, there are those organizations which deal with commodities, 
 and generally those organizations have to do, in one way or another, 
 with the marketing of these commodities. Examples of such com- 
 modity organizations would be the Dairymen's League, which has 
 been organized in the Northeastern States ; the different fruit grow- 
 ers' organizations in California ; cotton growers' associations in the 
 South, etc. Now, obviously, the county agricultural agent can go ■ 
 only a certain distance in cooperation with organizations of that sort 
 which are very largely in the marketing field. They may advise 
 and instruct them with regard to the principles of marketing and the 
 methods of organization of associations for such purposes, but that 
 is about as far as they can go. 
 
 Then we have another class of organizations which are of a more 
 general character, but which are characterized by having certain 
 secret features. Examples of such organizations which are familiar 
 to you are the grange and the farmers' union, and there are other 
 similar organizations. Now, we can cooperate with such organiza- 
 tions to a considerable extent, and we have done so, but there are 
 
PAKM ORGANIZATIONS. 5 
 
 limits to the cooperation that can be given, because of these secret 
 features. There are, as you know, people who have objections to 
 secret organizations and, for one scruple or another, would not join 
 such organizations. And I do not see how they ever can become 
 general in their character for that reason. 
 
 Then there is a third class of organizations which are formed to 
 promote the general agricultural interests of a community or a State, 
 or even the Nation. I'hey are open to all people in the farming com- 
 munity, and the only restriction they have, perhaps, is the payment of 
 the necessary dues to m:untain them". Examples of such organizations 
 are what have been called county councils of agriculture, which have 
 been established in the Southern States, and farm bureaus, which 
 have been especially numerous in the Northern States. 
 
 Keeping that in mind, it may be well to say a little about the his- 
 tory of what is ordinarily known as the farm bureau. Before the 
 passage of the Smith-Lever extension act, when the department was 
 undertaking some extension work, it happened that there was in 
 New York State, in a chamber of commerce at Binghamton, N. Y., a 
 group of people who desired to do something for the benefit of agri- 
 culture in their region, and they formed in the chamber of commerce 
 a department and called that a farm bureau. It soon happened that 
 the farmers in that region made some objection to the activities of 
 chambers of commerce in this regard and desired to have an organi- 
 zation of their own. So they formed an organization to cooperate 
 with the department in its extension work, and the name of " farm 
 bureau " was attached to that. In a short time that name was caught 
 up and used by quite a number of organizations in New York and 
 other parts of the country which developed in connection with the 
 extension work. 
 
 The Chairman. That was after the passage of the Smith-Lever 
 law? 
 
 Dr. True. That was before the passage of the Smith-Lever law. 
 After the passage of the Smith-Lever Act and the spread of this 
 extension movement through the activities of the colleges cooperat- 
 ing with the department, the necessity for having these open or- 
 ganizations of farmers, to help the agricultural extension agents, be- 
 came more and more apparent and so they encouraged the forma- 
 tion of these organizations under different names. The term " farm 
 bureau " has been used in a strict and in a loose sense and has been 
 attached to quite a good many organizations which were not 
 really farm bureaus but had some of their general characteristics. 
 Now, the war came on and when we got into it the demand for 
 speeding up agricultural production, as you know, was very great, 
 and the Government took a hand in that, in response to public opin- 
 ion, and under that pressure the department, cooperating with the 
 colleges, undertook on a broad scale to organize the farmers for pro- 
 duction. And it went way beyond what would have been done in 
 peace times in telling them what they ought to do in the way of get- 
 ting together and stimulating agricultural production. 
 
 Of course, the other organizations to which I have referred, such 
 as the grange and the farmers' union, the Cotton Gtrowers' Associa- 
 tion and the Grain Growers' Association, they all helped in this 
 work, too. But the final result was that, when the war was over. 
 
6 FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 we had closely associated with the extension work in the Northern 
 States a large number of county farm bureaus. In the South, a 
 different form of organization prevailed. Whatever its name might 
 be locally, there the organization was largely a small organization 
 which was often called a council, which had on it representative men 
 of the community and often these men were members of other or- 
 ganizations. The same has always been true of the farm bureaus; 
 because, from our point of view, the farm bureau has never been 
 considered as an exclusive organization or one to supplant other or- 
 ganizations. We have always had a large number of members of 
 other organizations connected with the farm bureaus. 
 
 The Chairman. As I understand you, the origin of the farm bureau 
 was prior to the enactment of the Smith-Lever law ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes. 
 
 The Chairman. That is, there was a scattering of this organiza- 
 tion; but is it not a fact that the organization of the major portion 
 of the county f aim bureaus in the counties has been since the passage 
 of the Smith-Lever Act ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; the larger number of them. You see, I spoke of 
 the war enlarging them, but that came afterwards. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You would not care to leave the impression they did 
 not have any county faim bureaus in the South of the character you 
 have described, during the war, would you ? 
 
 Dr. True. No ; there were some of them. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I understood you to say they had nothing but councils 
 down there. 
 
 Dr. True. I did not mean to make that exclusive. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I did not think you did, because I know of a great 
 many of the counties where they did have county farm bureaus during 
 the war. 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; there were such organizations. 
 
 The Chairman. Then in most of the cases those county farm bu- 
 reaus were organized to cooperate with the official agencies, were they 
 not? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes ; to cooperate with the official agencies. 
 
 The Chairman. In doing extension work ? 
 
 Dr. ^ True. Ye^; in doing extension work. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Would you mind, right there, Mr. Chairman, if I ask 
 a question ? Did your department inspire the organization of them, 
 or did you absorb them after they were organized ? 
 
 Dr. True. Well, there were various things which happened with 
 reference to that. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO; As a general proposition, were the organizations made 
 on the suggestion of your department, or did you find them already 
 in existence and recognize them as a proper agency and took charge 
 of them and developed them and increased them ; which would you 
 say is true ? 
 
 Dr. True. I should say in most cases they were organized originally 
 on the suggestion of the extension forces. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Get it out of your mind that I am antagonistic ; I just 
 want to get the facts. Now, did you find them already in existence 
 and recognize them as agents you might utilize, and did you increase 
 both the numbers and the strength, or were the original organizations 
 
PAKM ORGANIZATIONS. 7 
 
 to a large extent made upon the inspiration and suggestion of your 
 department ? oo j 
 
 _ Dr Trdtd. The latter is true. The one difficulty that I shall have 
 m makmg general statements about such matters is that there is such 
 a variety of conditions and circumstances, to take the country as a 
 
 The Chairman. Now, Dr. True, the county jigents are Government 
 employees, receiving Federal as well as Smith-Lever and State funds 
 and county funds as salary, are they not ? 
 Dr. Tetje. Yes. 
 
 The Chaiemax. What is the relation of the county agent to the 
 Government and the agricultural colleges? 
 
 -DJ"- Teue. The county agent is a cooperative employee and usually 
 there are at least three parties to his employment, and there may be 
 four or possibly five, in a few cases. 
 
 The Chatemax. That is the United States Government, the State, 
 the county, and what other agency ? 
 
 Dr. True. And the farm orgaiiization within the county that is 
 helping to support him. 
 
 The Chairman. Whether that be farmers' union or the local 
 county farm bureau or any other organization? 
 
 Dr. True. Well, it would be ordinarily the organization which is 
 formed especially to cooperate with the county agent. 
 
 The Chairman. Yes. "What is the relation of the county agent 
 to the local farm bureau ? 
 
 Dr. Teue. The idea that underlay the county farm bureau as it 
 related to the work of the county agent is this, that in this extension 
 work we want to do the things which the farming people desire to 
 have done and need to have done; and in order to get at that the 
 extension forces have desired to sit in with the farming people in the 
 . formulation of and carrying out of the plans of the extension work. 
 And more and more the tendency has been to put on the farming 
 people themselves as much of responsibility for initiative and ac- 
 tivity in this movement as possible. One large element of this work 
 has been the carrying on of field demonstrations, and there we need 
 the services of a considerable number of farmers who will undertake 
 to carry on those demonstrations and will be willing to have them 
 looked into by the rest of the farming people about them — to have 
 meetings on their places and show or explain this demonstration 
 work. 
 
 Mr. Steong. Will you permit a question : Why did the department 
 use the farm bureaus, and help to organize them, any more than it 
 would help to organize the Grange and the Farmers' Union, for the 
 purposes of prevailing upon the farmers to increase their produc- 
 tion during the war? Why did they particularly get behind the 
 Farm Bureau? 
 
 Dr. Teue. Because the Farm Bureau, as organized, was a general 
 organization, having no restriction connected with it as regards mem- 
 bership, except that which might grow out of the payment of mutual 
 dues. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. What do you mean by restriction — restriction of oc- 
 cupation ? Here is the point. Doctor : Lawyers can not belong to the 
 farmers' union ; I believe that is true. A lawyer is not eligible for 
 
8 FARM OKGANIZATIONS. 
 
 membership in the farmers' union but he is eligible for membership 
 in the Farm Bureau, is he not, Mr. Silver? 
 
 Mr. Silver. Under certain conditions. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Is that the distinction you make ? 
 
 Dr. Teue. No ; that is not what I am thinking of. 
 
 Mr. WiNGo. The restriction as to membership is not the restriction 
 you meant? 
 
 Dr. True. The restriction as to membership which the ideas of 
 the farming people have themselves, with reference to certain organ- 
 izations which have secret features. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. The farmers' union, as I understand, is no longer 
 secret, and yet you did not use it. I am not trying to argue with 
 you ; I am trying to find out the distinction you niade. Was it a re- 
 striction as to membership, a restriction as to hayinji a secret ritual, 
 a restriction as to territory, a restriction as to activities, or what ? 
 
 Dr. True. This restriction as to secrecy was one thing. There was 
 also one restriction with reference to commodity organizations — that 
 they were engaged principally in a commercial activity. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Take a case in point: What was the restriction that 
 barred the farmers' union? 
 
 Dr. True. In the case of the farmers' union, we were thinking of 
 them as having this secret feature. It certainly has been our general 
 understanding it was secret. 
 
 Mr. Strong. What prevented the department from organizing the 
 farmers into societies of their own, instead of taking up some other 
 organization and pushing it along? What was the purpose of it? 
 
 Dr. TEtTE. The purpose of it was to have an organization with 
 which the extension forces could cooperate as fully as possible. 
 
 Mr. Strong. And when you are through, you have not a Govern- 
 ment function but a private institution ? 
 
 Dr. True. But our whole system is a cooperative system. And we 
 desire to bring the people into it more -and more. 
 
 Mr. Strong. But of course you encourage one farming organiza- 
 tion at the expense of the others. 
 
 Dr. True. Well, we would if that organization Avas of an exclusive 
 character; but as the things worked out, generally the members of 
 the farm bureaus are also to a very considerable extent members of 
 other farm organizations. 
 
 Mr. WiNGo. If you will permit me. Doctor, possiblv you over- 
 looked a suggestion made a moment ago. Maybe Mr. Strong did not 
 catch it. Possibly it is true that you also utilize these farm bureaus 
 because, as you have suggested, you had developed them. While you 
 had found them already in existence, yet you took that organization 
 and developed and increased it as part o"f your organization. Did 
 that enter into it ? 
 
 Dr. True. That did enter into it originally. But of course lately 
 there has been a good deal of organization of" farm bureaus which we 
 have not had anything to do with, except most generally. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. That is what I was coming to later. You have given 
 different groups of organizations ; I believe you said there were five, 
 a moment ago. You did not mention a district agent. You do have 
 district agents, do you not? 
 
 Dr. True. In a few of the Southern States. 
 
FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 9 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. The reason I ask you, I thought I noticed in the paper 
 to-day that your district agent in my State had resigned to become 
 the district agent for the American Farm Bureau Federation. 
 
 Dr. True. I do not know about that. But we have in some of the 
 Southern States what are called district agencies, supervisory officers 
 who supervise the work of the county agents in a number of counties. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. So you did not mention district agents awhile ago. In 
 some cases you do have district agents in addition to the agents you 
 have already enumerated? 
 
 Dr. True. Oh, yes. I have not gone fully into the organization. 
 Besides the county agents, there are the district agents ; above them 
 the State leaders, and then there are the extension specialists on differ- 
 ent subject-matter lines, who work out from the agricultural college; 
 and then the whole organization is tied up into one administration 
 unit through the extension director, who is responsible for the ad- 
 ministration of the work in the State. 
 
 The Chair^nfan. You explained the relation of the county agent to 
 the Government and agricultural colleges. What is the relation of 
 the county agent to the farm bureau ? 
 
 Dr. True. Well, he is an agent who is employed, may be employed, 
 by the farm bureau in cooperation with the college and the depart- 
 ment to carry on extension work. 
 
 The Chairman. Does the Government, through your department 
 and the college, hire the county agent ? 
 
 Dr. True. The administration of the work is committed to the 
 State college, as far as each State is concerned. The appointments 
 are usually made in this way, that wherever there is a cooperating 
 organization, whether it be called a farm bureau or something else, 
 the officers of the college, particularly the State leader, or it may be 
 the district leader, will go into the county and sit in with the officers 
 of this cooperating organization and consult with them as to the ap- 
 pointment of the agent. He is not expected to present to them simply 
 one individual as 'the choice of the college. There is also a general 
 rule that prevails that the agent to be appointed shall not be a resi- 
 dent of the county. So that we have this situation, that the college 
 official sitting in with the committee of the farm bureau or other or- 
 ganization, will present some names of people he thinks will make 
 good county agents in that county. They discuss that and finally 
 decide on some individual. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You say the rule is he does not submit the name of 
 anybody in that county ? 
 
 Dr. 'J'rue. That is the rule. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. He may also go outside of the State, and does fre- 
 quently ? 
 
 Dr. True. He may also go outside of the State. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Is it not true, for illustration, in a great many in- 
 stances, you bring people from Wisconsin down into my State? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes ; of course, that may be true. You understand this 
 organization has got to be a big organization and some county agents 
 make notable successes. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Who is respoYisible for them ? Say a man comes into 
 my county, for illustration; he says to the county farm bureau, or 
 whoever is employing them, " I think here is a young lady from Wis- 
 
10 FARM ORGANIZATIONS, 
 
 consin who would make you an excellent home demonstration agent." 
 Who has suggested to him the name of the young lady from Wiscon- 
 sin; does your department do it? 
 
 Dr. True. Usually not. We take very little part in the appoint- 
 ment of the agents, except to approve what the college organization 
 puts up to us. 
 
 The Chairman. Who does the actual hiring? 
 
 Dr. Tkue. He is actually hired by the State extension director of 
 the college. 
 
 Mr. Brand. Who did you say finally appoints them — the btate de- 
 partment of agriculture ? 
 
 Dr. True. The State college of agriculture finally appoints them. 
 
 Mr. Brand. They appoint them? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; they appoint the agents, subject to our approval. 
 
 Mr. Brand. But it appoints them, though, at the suggestion of the 
 Farm Bureau, does it not, and after conference? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; after conference with the organization in the 
 count3^ 
 
 The Chairman. Is this direction given to these county agents by 
 the Department of Agriculture and the agricultural colleges — is 
 that merely nominal or is that specific, to these county agents? 
 
 Dr. True. We do not deal directly with the agents. 
 
 The Chairman. Who does give them their specific orders ? 
 
 Dr. True. They are given through the organization which varies 
 somewhat in different States; but the extension director is the man 
 who is responsible. 
 
 The Chairman. He is not under the direction of the county farm 
 bureau, then? 
 
 Dr. True. Of these college officials. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You leave that, you say, to the direction of the county 
 director ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. As a matter of routine. It would only be in a very 
 few rare instances you would fail to approve the selection of the 
 county agent in my home county, by Dr. Knapp, say, who is the ex- 
 tension director in my State? 
 
 Dr. True. Certainly. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. It would only be in a case called to your attention, 
 showing it is a bad selection? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. As a general proposition, you would leave the selec- 
 tion to Dr. Knapp, who is now the extension director in mv State ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. And you would leave the general administration to 
 him and you would have simply the power here to veto his selection 
 if you so desired; but, as a practical working proposition, he does 
 all the appointing? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 The Chairman. Now, if the farm bureau insists on certain things 
 and issues certain instructions to the countv agent, does the county 
 agent carry out those instructions, or can he refuse to do that? 
 
FAKM ORGANIZATIONS. 11 
 
 Dr. True. He is under the administration of the extension di- 
 rector 
 
 The Chairman (interposing). Of the college? 
 
 Dr. True (continuing). And if he thinks that what the farm bu- 
 i-eau wants him to do is improper for him to do he can and ought to 
 object to doing it. 
 
 The Chairman. Supposing the county farm bureau is paying part 
 of his salary ? 
 
 Dr. True. That makes no difference. The county farm bureau, 
 as we understand it, has entered into a contract with the college, and 
 through it with the department, to employ these county agents to do 
 what is proper for them as public officials. Now, we have a great 
 variety of circumstances all over the country and all sorts of actual 
 conditions with reference to the work of these people ; and, as you 
 can see, sometimes they do things which they ought not to do. JBut 
 when those are brought to our attention, or to the attention of the 
 authorities of the college, they try to correct those matters. 
 
 The Chairman. Do you thinfi it is a proper function for the 
 county agent to engage in commercial activities? 
 
 Dr. True. No, sir; it is not. And the farm bureau organization, 
 I might say, through its national body, has declared that is not the 
 proper function of the county agent ; so that we are agreed on that. 
 
 The Chairman. Is it not a fact in some of the larger farm bureaus 
 the county agent is an active agent of the bureau and that he is con- 
 ducting activities of a commercial nature? 
 
 Dr. True. There have been cases of that kind without doubt, but 
 they are contrary to the principles on which we are going and to the 
 constant instructions that are sent out from our offices and to the 
 efforts of the college people who try to hold the thing down to its 
 proper place. 
 
 The Chairman. Then you do not approve of the Government turn- 
 ing over funds to conduct a nonofficial commercial enterprise of that 
 character ? 
 
 Dr. True. No, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I believe you stated that where matters have been 
 brought to your attention you correct them, and that you do not 
 undertake to give them a list here at Washington of the proper matter 
 they should put out? 
 
 f)r. True. No, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Do you undertake to tell them the character of ad- 
 dress, the subject that they shall stress, and the position they shall 
 take on public questions ? For illustration, I will quote from a news- 
 paper report of one of your agents : " The high freight rates are to 
 be regarded as more or less a protective tariff and the farmer and 
 merchant is the beneficiary in that the local market is of necessity 
 strengthened and developed " — giving the name of the agent. You did 
 not give him any such instructions as that, did you ? 
 
 Dr. True. No. 
 
 The Chairman. Now, Doctor, has the county farm bureau, as we 
 know it to-day, grown up around the county agent, or as a result of 
 the establishment of the county agent, in these 2,000 counties, I 
 think you said, in the United States? In other words, has the 
 present local county farm bureau, as we know it, been made possible 
 because of the establishment of the county agent in those counties ? 
 
12 FABM OEGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Dr. True. Well, it has grown up around the county agent. There 
 is no doubt about that. As to the possibility of forming such an 
 organization without him, I think that might be done and it has been 
 done in some instances. For instance, in Illinois, as I understand it, 
 the county farm bureaus were formed originally without particular 
 reference to the college and they have only afterwards come into the 
 cooperative system. 
 
 The Chairman. Is the State of Illinois now accepting Smith-Lever 
 funds for extension work, as the other States do ? 
 
 Dr. Tetje. Oh, yes. 
 
 The Chairman. They are taking that money? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; and always have. 
 
 The Chairman. If it was not for the county agent, do you think 
 this extensive organization of farm bureaus would continue under 
 present conditions? 
 
 Dr. True. I do not see why it should not. I ought to go a step 
 further, of course, in the developmejit of the farm bureau. We have 
 been discussing it so far as exclusively an extension organization, if 
 I may use that term. 
 
 The Chairman. Eight there, let me ask you, in connection with 
 what you are going to say : Is it a fact the county agents have par- 
 ticipated in the membership campaigns in the organization of county 
 farm bureaus? 
 
 Dr. True. As I stated, during the war there was a good deal of 
 that, because of the necessities of the case. But we do not want the 
 county agents to engage actively in soliciting members, nor to have 
 anything to do in the handling of the money that is paid in as 
 dues. And as far as we can bring that about, we are holding them to 
 that. 
 
 The Chairman. In other words, you send out instructions to them 
 not to participate in those campaigns for securing the memberships 
 in th? local county farm bureaus? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. Now, I was going to explain to you the fur- 
 ther development of the farm bureaus. As the farm bureau has de- 
 veloped, particularly in certain States, there has grown up a desire 
 on the part of the farmers forming the farm bureau to engage in 
 activities outside of their relation to the extension work. They have 
 done that in various ways, and that has greatly broadened the work. 
 Now, they have done that, as I understand it, on the principle that 
 they, as American citizens, a voluntary organization, had a right to 
 do what the organization wanted them to do. 
 
 As an outgrowth of that broadening of the work of the farm 
 bureaus, we have hacj, in comparatively recent times the formation 
 of State federations of farm bureaus and, finally, of a national 
 federation of State federations of farm bureaus. And the olDJects 
 which these federations have in mind are in many cases quite broad. 
 Now, we do not cooperate with the State and National organization 
 in the same way that we do with the county organizations ; that is, 
 there is no interchange or combination of funds, as in the case of the 
 county agents. And we do not assume in any way any responsibilitv 
 for the activities of these State federations. 
 
 The Chairman. Does your department delegate any of its re- 
 sponsibility to any of these farm bureaus in any of the States'' 
 
 Dr. True. Well, not in a sense of 
 
FAEM ORGANIZATIONS. 13 
 
 The Chaieman. It is all done through the extension department 
 of the colleges? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes. 
 
 The Chaieman. You speak entirely through them ? 
 
 Dr. Tetje. Yes ; it is through them. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Do your instructions to the county agent go through 
 the extension director, or do you send them out direct ? 
 
 Dr. Tetje. Always through the director. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Do you furnish him with those instructions in the 
 first instance? 
 
 Dr. Teue. Yes ; we furnish him with those we issue ; but he issues 
 them, besides that, himself. 
 
 Mr. WiNGo. Have you a copy of the instructions that were issued 
 through the director of my State to the county agent 't 
 
 Dr. True. I do not think I have that copy myself. 
 
 ^Ir. WiNGo. Is it a very voluminous document, or is it a small one % 
 . Dr. True. I do not know that there is any single document. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. The point I am trying to get at is : Do you send out 
 a general set of instructions to be handed out by the director, or do 
 jou let the director handle that? 
 
 Dr. Teuh. Oh, in general terms, we let the director manage them. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You just send your general instructions to the director 
 and tell him the general line of instructions to the county agent, and 
 then he writes and sends out documents which he originates and 
 either has printed or writes by way of a letter to the county agent ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, that is the plan. Then a great deal of their vmder- 
 standing with the college officers is broug'ht about through personal 
 conference, either by the individual officers or getting them together 
 in a group or nationally to discuss what ought to be done and what 
 ought not to be done, and so on. 
 
 The Chairman. In connection with the organization of the county 
 farm bureaus, I judge from what you have said the department 
 cooperated in the organization of those local county farm bureaus? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; to begin with. 
 
 The Chairman. Now, on the question of the State federations and 
 the national federation : What part did the Department of Agricul- 
 ture take in the formation of those ? 
 
 Dr. True. We have had no definite part in that. 
 
 The Chairman. Have you taken any part ? 
 
 Dr. True. Why, only to this extent, that as far as they desired we 
 gave them information and advice about the different things. But 
 their organization is wholly on their own initiative. 
 
 The Chairman. And the Department of Agriculture is not coop- 
 erating with the American Federation of Farm Bureaus in any man- 
 ner whatsoever? 
 
 Dr. True. No ; not in the sense that we are with the local county 
 farm bureau. We are, however, cooperating with them in this sense, 
 that because of their large interests in the extension work, they permit 
 us to sit in with them when they are in council and they get from us 
 advice and information with regard to the conduct of that work. 
 They also have members of the Department of Agriculture on their 
 committees which are formed for special purposes. 
 
 For instance, they have— the national organization has— a commit- 
 tee on marketing of grain. Now. the Chief of the Bureau of Markets 
 
14 FABM ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 sits in with that committee by permission of the Secretary of Agri- 
 culture ; but it is with the definite understanding that he shall assume 
 no responsibility for their action. He is there to give them informa- 
 tion which the Bureau of Markets may have with reference to such 
 matters, and that is as far as he can go. And the same is true of 
 myself in dealing with the national organization on matters of 
 extension work. 
 
 The Chairman. You regard the work of the American Federation 
 of Farm Bureaus as a public work ? 
 
 Dr. True. It is not public in the sense of its being an official work. 
 
 The Chairman. Would you regard it the same as the American 
 
 Federation of Labor and the United States Chamber of Commerce? 
 
 Dr. True. Well, in a way, that is true; because, as I understand it, 
 
 the farm bureaus desire to serve in a general capacity with reference 
 
 to the promotion of the agricultural interests. 
 
 The Chairman. I might say to you right here, Doctor, that I think 
 it has been stated before this committee or the committee has been 
 lead to believe that the American Federation of Farm Bureaus occu- 
 pied the same position to the farmers that the American Federation 
 of Labor did to labor and that the United States Chamber of Com- 
 merce did to the business men. Now, in that connection, does your 
 department have men sitting in on the boards in these other organiza- 
 tions — the American Federation of Labor, for instance ? 
 Dr. True. No. 
 
 The Chairman. And the United States Chamber of Commerce ? 
 Dr. True. No, sir ; I do not think we do. But if they formed cer- 
 tain committees and asked- the Secretary of Agriculture to consult 
 with them, I doubt whether he would refuse to do so. 
 
 The Chairman. Yes. Now, in connection with these other farm 
 organizations, the grange and the farmers' union and the Society 
 of Equity, do you have men sitting in on their boards from the De- 
 partment of Agriculture ? 
 
 Dr'. True. No, sir ; so far as I know we never have been invited to 
 do that. 
 
 The Chairman. It is purely upon invitation from the American 
 Federation of Farm Bureaus your men are called into their con- 
 ferences and sit in on their boards ? 
 Dr. Trxte. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Let me ask you this question, please : Now, that the 
 war is over, are you still assisting to organize these farm bureaus? 
 
 Dr. True. No, sir. We do not need to do that any longer. They 
 have their own organization to carry on the work. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Do you think i* advisable to have a county farm 
 organization of some kind, whether you call it a county farm bureau 
 or whatever you call it, to cooperate with your county agent? 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir; I think it is indispensable. 
 Mr WiNGO. Do you think it is indispensable that there should be 
 a btate and a district head over that organization? In your or- 
 ganization, taking the State, why it is the director of the extension 
 i orces ( 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Have you at any time requested Congress to give you 
 additional appropriations or to authorize an. additional organization, 
 
FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 15 
 
 SO as to meet that public necessity of having a countj^ organization 
 that would be responsible solely to your department? 
 
 Dr. True. No, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. The idea I am trying to get in my mind is not an- 
 tagonistic; I just want to feel my way and get the benefit of your 
 idea, whether or not there is a public necessity that would justify an 
 appropriation out of the Public Treasury to maintain organizations 
 of that kind, or should it be left to the initiative and control of pri- 
 vate organizations? 
 
 Dr. True. My general sentiment with reference to that is that that 
 should be left to the people themselves. We do not want this exten- 
 sion system to be a bureaucratic and overhead system. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You do not want to get your organizations too heavy ; 
 is that the idea? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes. We want to carry out what the farming people 
 themselves want, and it is up to them to determine what they are 
 going to do about it. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Has it occurred to you that possibly, by singling out 
 this farm bureau or county farm bureau and having your agent 
 recognized as a part of it, that other organizations might feel like 
 you were giving goverimiental aid, whether it be financial aid or 
 moral aid, that would be antagonistic to them, and lead the people 
 to believe that the department did not regard other organizations 
 as being the proper agency for self-help of the farmer? Had that 
 occurrea to you, Doctor? 
 
 Dr. True. That idea has been suggested, of course. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. What answer is there to that suggestion and that 
 danger ? 
 
 Dr. True. The answer is that where the matter is properly carried 
 on the organizations that are working in conference with the county 
 agent are regarded by the other organizations as helpful to them 
 rather than standing in their way. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Take, for illustration, a county agent up here in 
 Pennsylvania, where the State grange is very strong and for years 
 has been recognized as the farmers' organization, and in that county 
 they have a very live and active grange that is ready and has been 
 willing to cooperate with your agent. What necessity is there in 
 that county for you to aid in the organization of a separate and dis- 
 tinct private farm organization? 
 
 Dr. Trtoe. Well, because I think there are quite a good many 
 people in Pennsylvania counties that would not join the grange. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Would not join the grange? 
 
 Dr. True. No; would not join the grange. Therefore, we think 
 it is better to have this general wide-open organization and to have 
 the members of the grange come into that. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Is it with your approval or your suggestion, m organ- 
 izing county farm bureaus, to organize them out of lawyers and 
 bankers and merchants? , i. 
 
 Dr. True. No, sir. We want them to be composed of people wtio 
 are identified with the agricultural interests. 
 
 Mr WiNGO. There is the point. I can understand how a banker 
 and a lawyer and a merchant, all of them, would own farms and be 
 directly interested in them; yet that would be only incidental to their 
 main business activity. 
 
26 TARM OKGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Dr. True. That might be. Now, that is up to the people of the 
 
 county to decide. , . . , ■ ^ q 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. That is up to them to determine in each instance? 
 
 Mr WiNGO Of course, I can understand a bank cashier might be 
 recognized as one of the ablest farmers of the county and his services 
 might be very valuable. I am not criticizing that; I ]ust wanted to 
 know whether, with your approval or disapproval, it is being done. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Where the counties are organized largely by the 
 Grange or the Farmers' Union, does not the fact that you conduct 
 your activities through the farm bureaus practically force upon the 
 farmers the maintenance of a double organization in order to get the 
 benefits of your department; that is, the members of the union and 
 the grange have to join the farm bureau in order to get the benefits? 
 
 Dr. True. No ; because the understanding is that the county agent 
 shall work in the interests of all the people of his county. Some of 
 them might not be members of his farm bureau, for one reason or an- 
 other, and it is just as much his duty to help those people outside of 
 the farm bureau as it is to help those in the farm bureau. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. The bureau, as I understand it, is simply an in- 
 strument for the more efficient activity of the agent ? 
 
 Dr. True. That is, from the extension viewpoint ; yes. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. And for the benefit of agriculture generally in the 
 county ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. It is not confined in its benefits to members of the 
 organizatioii, ? 
 
 Dr. True. Oh, certainly not; we are opposed to that. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. They are the ones that assume the burdens and 
 responsibility of seeing that it gets along? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. But everybody gets the benefit of it? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. I want to give an illustration of how this 
 thing works out, and in New York State, where this farm bureau 
 idea originated and where it has been quite fully developed, we have 
 farm bureaus organized in all the agricultural counties except one, 
 which is a mountain county. Now, in that State the grange is very 
 strong. My recollection is it has something like 130,000 members. 
 They also have a dairyman's league, which is a very strong organi- 
 zation, and there are fruit growers' organizations. Now, those people 
 are getting on all right and have cordial relations with each other 
 and the thing has been so managed all around that so far as I know 
 everbody is happy with that arrangement. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Here is the point that is worrying me. I am thinking 
 about the benefits coming to the farmer; I want to get him inter- 
 ested in the work your department is doing. Now, it has been sug- 
 gested to me you might go, through your agent, into a county where 
 they had, say, a farmers' union organization and that organization 
 composed of the best farmers in the county — I mean the actual farm- 
 ers who reside on their land. They think they have been doing a 
 great work; they have been helping your agent, and backing him 
 up in every way, carrying out every suggestion he made, and yet he 
 comes along and organizes a county farm bureau and they naturally 
 
FAEM OEGANIZATIONS. 17 
 
 feel like, " Well, they are going to kick us out." The farmers of the 
 county will say, " Well, something must be wrong with our organi- 
 zation; they are not going to cooperate with us any longer; they are 
 organizing a separate organization with the power and. prestige of 
 the Federal Government in back of it." And might not that soon 
 produce friction that would prevent getting the results that ordi- 
 narily would flow from the county agent's activities ? 
 
 Dr. True. It does in some cases, but that is largely a matter of 
 personality and not of principle. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. But in the last analysis the farmer is "personality," 
 isn't he, and you have to recognize his personality ? 
 Dr. True. It is human nature, of course. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You can not blame him from being prompted and 
 moved by the same suspicions and prejudices you and I would be; 
 you can not deal with him as a standardized machine ; you have to 
 recognize him as he is. 
 Dr. True. Oh, yes. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. And when you try to establish standards for the 
 farmer and say he must fit in with one particular crop and one par- 
 ticular organization he resents that, does he not, from your ex- 
 perience ? 
 
 Dr. True. He does if you put it in that way. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. He does not receive any suggestions from lawyers and 
 business men — it does not matter how sincere they may be. Hasn't 
 he always resented suggestions from some one who is not really 
 interested in farming? 
 Dr. True. Certainly, and he ought to. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. And haven't we recognized that in dealing with him 
 to avoid in any kind of activity the suggestion of driving the farmer 
 to the county agent and backing him up and taking his advice and 
 thereby driving him away from him and making hrtn view the county 
 agent in his county with suspicion? Is not that a dangerous thing, 
 and does not that danger actually confront you in some counties ? 
 
 Dr. True. It certainly would be, and there are cases where that has 
 been true— that it does not work out right. But that will always 
 happen in a big country like ours, always, in anything you undertake. 
 Mr. WiNGO. W^hat is going to happen where it does not work out 
 all right? The natural sequence will be where the Federal Govern- 
 ment gets in behind any county organization it is going to destroy 
 the influence and numerical strength of all other farm organizations, 
 and those who feel like they have beeen crowded out are not going 
 to feel very cordial? Now, doesn't that alarm you and prevent you 
 from' getting efficient results from your county agents ? 
 
 Dr. True. Where we have such things as I just reported to you 
 in New York State, I do not feel that needs to be the result. I 
 rather feel by this combination of special and general organizations 
 the farming people will be more and more thoroughly organized to 
 Avork together, and that is the view, of course, of many of these 
 people that work in these other organizations. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Do you think it is possible to have a standard organi- 
 zation that will fit in with the entire agricultural activities in the 
 Nation ? For illustration, do you think that the farm organization 
 that would suit the big cotton planters of eastern Arkansas would 
 
 33920—21 2 
 
18 FAKM ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 suit the small farmers up in Judge Tillman's district in western 
 Arkansas ? 
 
 Dr. True. Not if it is an inflexible organization with rigid rules 
 and regulations. But I do not see why the organization of a county 
 in Arkansas where there are small farmers could not join forces with 
 the organization down in the bottom lands where the farmers are 
 large farmers. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Here is the principle: The big plantation over in 
 eastern Arkansas is owned by a man who is living in town in the 
 great majority of instances; he is cultivating his plantation with 
 niggers and mules. And up in northwestern Arkansas you will 
 have the small farm where naturally the man is living on it and he 
 will be cultivating that with himself and children. And haven't 
 they a different social problem, a different financial problem, and a 
 different agricultural problem, and can you fit the same organization 
 to both of them? 
 
 Dr. Tkhe. I can not see any reason why you could not. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Haven't you as much necessity for a different farm 
 organization as some of us believe you have necessity for different 
 religious organizations ? 
 
 Dr. True. You understand, I am not advocating and never expect 
 to see a single organization that will fill the whole field 
 
 Mr. Brand. Won't this organization drive out all the balance of 
 them, though ? 
 
 Dr. Trtje (continuing). Because on the coming in of this new 
 movement it brought about this large general organization which 
 has stimulated the organization of smaller budies for special 
 purposes. 
 
 The Chairman. Now, Doctor, in that connection, I understand it 
 is the desire of the department to work through the organization 
 that is most effective, that gets nearer to the farmers. Am I correct 
 about that? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; that is the general idea. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Doctor, if you do that, I shall not object. 
 
 The Chairman. In that connection. I was wondering — take, for 
 instance, the State of New York, where there are probably 50,000 
 members of the American Farm Bureau Federation of Farm Bureaus 
 and probably 150,000 members of the grange — which one of those 
 instruments would you use in New York State to work through? 
 
 Dr. True. It works out in this way. of course, that in that farm 
 bureau organization there are a large number of members of the 
 grange; there are also a large number of members of such organi- 
 zations as the Dairyman's League. That being true, naturally that 
 farm bureau organization is going to help the grange, and it is going 
 to help the Dairyman's League. 
 
 The Chairman. You take that as the best approach, then, to the 
 farmers in the situation I have enumerated I 
 
 Dr. Trtie. Yes ; I think that combination 
 
 Mr. Strong. Is there any instance where your county farm agents 
 work through the other farm or<ranizationslike the Grange and the 
 i armers Unions without organizing your county farm bureaus? 
 
 Dr. True. That has been true, especially through the southern ter- 
 ritory where the farm bureaus have only recently gotten in. 
 
PABM ORGANIZATIONS. 19 
 
 Mr. Strong. I do not know anything about that, but in my dis- 
 trict I know there are one or two counties very strongly organized 
 by the Grange and several very strongly organized by the Farmers' 
 Union. 
 
 Dr. Tkue. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Yet they went in there and organized the farm 
 bureaus, and the county agents work through the farm bureaus rather 
 than the other farm organizations. 
 
 Dr. True. Well, they work-- — 
 
 Mr. Strong. I just wondered if there were any places where they 
 work through the existing farm organizations without organizing tiie 
 bureaus. 
 
 Dr. True. That has been done; that is, within a limited extent. 
 But they have found it difficult to link it up, you see, as closely with 
 those special organizations. That is the problem there. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Isn't it a fact it has been the custom, regardless of 
 the organization the farmers had already existing in the counties, to 
 go in and organize farm bureaus for the county agents to work 
 through ? Has not that been the custom ? 
 
 Dr. True. That was done in the Southern States particularly. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Do you think that is entirely fair, for the Government 
 to interfere in the existing organizations of the farmers that way ? 
 
 Dr. True. They were organized, as I explained to you, largely on 
 the war necessity. And then they have developed 
 
 Mr. Strong. Why could they not have worked just as well through 
 the Farmers' Unions or the Grange as a war necessity, as they could 
 through a new association? 
 
 Dr. True. We worked with them, but we had to have a broader 
 organization than that. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Why did you have to have it ? Did you find any cases 
 where they were protesting against working through their existing 
 organizations ? 
 
 Dr. True. You must understand we are working with a large num- 
 ber of organizations ; but when it comes to working on this plan of 
 extension work, we want organizations that are, as far as possible, 
 representative of the different elements in the county. 
 
 Mr. Strong. I am bringing out this line of questions because I 
 have had farmers protest to me against the Government, against 
 Congress, making appropriations through its departments to build 
 up a new farmers' organization in opposition to. the one they them- 
 selves have built up, and I just wondered if there was any place 
 where you did cooperate with existing organizations. 
 
 Dr. True. There is another element in that which may be of in- 
 terest to you and that is as this farm bureau movement has pro- 
 gressed, the States have more and more recognized that type of 
 organization as one with which they could closely cooperate. So 
 that we have now quite a number of States that have laws which 
 either direct or authorize the expenditure of the State funds, county 
 funds, which are appropriated for extension work, through an 
 organization which must have the characteristics of the farm bureau. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Is not that because it is generally recognized that the 
 Government works only through the farm bureaus ? 
 
 Dr. True. I do not think that is true. 
 
20 FABM ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. The Dairyman's Association, for instance, covers 
 only one type of agricultural activity? 
 
 Dr. Tkue. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. And the apple growers covers a ditterent type, and 
 there are a great many of those associations that cover merely a par- 
 ticular type of agricultural activity? 
 
 Dr True Yes. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. Now, as I understand it, the Agricultural Depart- 
 ment and extension bureaus desire an organization that covers the 
 entire field; is that your idea about it? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. . , » ., , . 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. That is the idea I have gotten from its work in 
 South Carolina. . . 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I was under the impression m handling the agricul- 
 ture of the United States we had proceeded on this theory, up to the 
 war, that we would leave it to the individual farmers in their dif- 
 ferent communities to decide what organization they shall have. If 
 the chief activity of one community is dairying, they organize a 
 dairyman's association; if the chief activity of one community in 
 Arkansas is apple growing, they have a fruit growers' association 
 which covers that form of activity ; if it is in the cotton belt in 
 Mississippi or eastern Arkansas, they will have the cotton associa- 
 tion. And my understanding of it has been that we would leave to 
 the farmers of each community, to the population of the community, 
 to determine for themselves the form of organization they should 
 have, governed by the necessities of their own business; that thej 
 know better than anybody else what they need, and we should leave it 
 to them to decide for themselves what kind of local farm organiza- 
 tion is best, and then the Federal Government, after we have left 
 them free to do that, undertakes through the Department of Agricul- 
 ture, and we undertake under the Smith-Lever Act, to give aid in the 
 organization of the character of the organization provided by that 
 community, and the director of the extension forces then will keep in 
 touch with each and every one of those different local private farm 
 organizations through the county agents — and in a county where 
 cotton is the chief industry, they will look after and make suggestions 
 to the farmer from the cotton standpoint; in a fruit county, they 
 will look particularly after the development of the fruit industry — 
 and then the Government furnishes the great communicating 
 organization through the Department of Agriculture, and that it 
 should undertake to cooperate on equal terms with each and every 
 private organization and not to single out any one and build it up 
 in one locality to the exclusion of any other. 
 
 Mr. Strong. But we do not do that: we go out and organize 
 another organization, to wit, the Farm Bureaus. 
 
 Mr. Wtngo. I say I thought that was the general broad policy that 
 we had left to each one of the farm communities. That is my desire. 
 I am not criticisinc; the farm bureau. If they find a county where 
 they A\-ant a farm bureau organization, that is their business ; but if 
 they say the chief industry in this community is dairying and they 
 want a dairy association, and if they say we think our interests in 
 Pennsylvnia can be best served by "a secret organization and they 
 want the grange, they haA-e a right to do it, and it is not the business 
 
FAEM ORGANIZATIONS. 21 
 
 of the Federal Government to tell them it can not countenance a 
 secret society if they_ want it. If they are engaged in any practices 
 inimical to the public good, then you might say, "We will refrain 
 from cooperating with them in a general way." But the ob j ection that 
 has been made to these county farm bureaus I do not think you have 
 caught. It is not that we object to any particular form of organiza- 
 tion, but a number of these other organizations say, " We do not want 
 to be handicapped and driven out of business by the Federal Govern- 
 ment putting its stamp of approval upon one particular private or- 
 ganization of the farmers and to say, ' You are the chosen people and 
 j^ou shall inherit the earth, to wit. Government aid.' " That is the 
 objection that has come to this committee and has come to them with 
 great force. Take my friend from Kansas. I think he belongs to 
 and is a very prominent member of the farm bureaii of his State, but 
 he recognizes there are other activities there, the farmers' union, 
 [Laughter.] 
 
 Mr. Strong. I am a member of the farm bureau because I thought 
 I was helping the county agent proposition. I find now I am a mem- 
 ber of an organization with headquarters here in Washington that is 
 asking me to support legislation which I do not believe is in the 
 farmers' interest and which criticizes me when I do not do so. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I mention that to be complimentary to you and to use 
 you as a striking example of the wisdom of the old policy. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. I would like to direct the attention of my friend 
 from Arkansas, as well as that of Dr. True, to one situation: He says 
 where cotton is the principal activity they shall have a. cotton asso- 
 ciation. That is exactly what the State of South Carolina estab- 
 lished Clemson Agricultural College for 32 years ago and has been 
 preaching ever since, to get the farmers away from one monocycle and 
 to get them away from a particular product and to educate them to 
 engage in diversified agriculture. That has been our bane in South 
 Carolina, and elsewhere in the cotton belt. And I do not hesitate to 
 say the Federal farm bureau is doing a wonderful work in that direc- 
 tion of educating our people in diversified farming and getting them 
 away from the monorail proposition. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I am in favor of diversified farming, but I do not 
 think it is ever possible to wean the Eskimo from his frozen blubber 
 or to teach the farmer of Florida fur overcoats are necessary for their 
 physical comfort. 
 
 Mr. Stevenson. You will not be able to wean the cotton farmer 
 away from his cotton crop, either, by having him confine his business 
 to one crop. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You can not grow lemons on my black land in my 
 county ; that is fit for cotton and nothing else. 
 
 Mr. Brand. In the meantime, when am I going to get a hearing on 
 my bill? [Laughter.] 
 
 The Chairman. Now, Doctor, it has been stated here before the 
 committee— and I think you thoroughly concur in it— that the farm 
 bureau is largely an educational concern ? 
 
 Dr. True. It has been that ; yes. 
 
 The Chairman. From where does it derive its scientific informa- 
 tion? ^ , , . 
 
 Dr. True. Well, it gets that largely from the Department o± Agri- 
 culture and the agricultural colleges. 
 
22 PAKM OKGANIZATIONS. 
 
 The Chairman. Does the county farm bureau get information 
 direct from the Department of Agriculture ? 
 
 Dr. True. Through the college of agriculture. 
 
 The Chairman. And it gets it also through the extension depart- 
 ment of the State colleges ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes. 
 
 The Chairman. While we have discussed to some extent the con- 
 nection of the department with the American Farm Bureau Federa- 
 tion, I think I understood you to say the Government is not assist- 
 ing the American Farm Bureau Federation at the present time? 
 
 Dr. True. No, sir ; we are not cooperating with them in the sense 
 of uniting with them in any special efforts. 
 
 The Chairman. You spoke of the representation on the various 
 committees : Is the Director of the States Eelations Service a member 
 of the executive committee of the American Farm Bureau Federa- 
 tion? 
 
 Dr. True. Only in the sense he is permitted to sit in with that 
 committee in an advisory capacity. He has no vote and no responsi- 
 bility. 
 
 The Chairman. Do they list him as one of the members of that 
 committee — the American Farm Bureau Federation — so that he is 
 to be known as a member of that board ? 
 
 Dr. True. He is not a member in the same sense the farmers are, 
 and it is only with the distinct understanding with the Secretary of 
 Agriculture, that he will not assume any responsibility, that he is 
 there. 
 
 The Chairman. And he is there with the approval and under- 
 standing of the Secretary ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes. 
 
 The Chairman. And is that at the Secretary's suggestion, or was 
 that the suggestion of the American Farm Bureau Federation? 
 
 Dr. True. It was the suggestion from the American Farm Bureau 
 Federation. When they adopted their constitution they put that in ; 
 we had nothing to do with that. 
 
 The Chairman. Then you do not consider it one of the functions 
 under the Smith-Lever law to build up an organization for the 
 farmers similar to that built up by the labor organizations and th(? 
 business men, as represented by the American Federation of Labor 
 and the United States Chamber of Commerce ? 
 
 Dr. True. No ; I do not think it is. 
 
 The Chairman. Is not that practically the effect of the way it 
 works out under the present plan of cooperation? It has been stated 
 here in the committee or at least the committee have been led to 
 believe that the American Farm Bureau Federation was to the farm- 
 ers exactly what the American Federation of Labor was to labor 
 and that the United States Chamber of Commerce was to the business 
 man. Now, as I understand you, the department has been cooperat- 
 ing with the American Farm Bureau Federation, and that is the con- 
 cern that you look upon as the best to work through to the farmers? 
 
 Dr. True. Well, I do not understand that we are in any way re- 
 sponsible for what the American Farm Bureau Federation is doing. 
 They make their own plans. It is an institution that has been built 
 up very recently, and I know so little about the American Federation 
 of Labor and the United States Chamber of Commerce that I do 
 
FAKM ORGANIZATIONS. 23 
 
 not think I am qualified to compare them in any definite way with 
 the American Farm Bureau Federation. 
 
 The Chairman. It has been stated before the committee or the com- 
 mittee as I stated has been led to believe by the representative of the 
 American Farm Bureau Federation that that was their purpose. 
 
 Dr. True. It is their purpose to deal with the problems of agri- 
 culture in a general way ; there is no doubt about that, I think. 
 
 The Chairman. Then, you think your department has kept strictly 
 within the law in the administration of the Smith-Lever Act, do 
 youl 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 The Chairman. In its connection with farm bureaus and the 
 county agents? 
 
 Dr. True. That is my understanding. Now, I might say with 
 reference to that. Congress has considered this matter to a certain 
 extent, and in the appropriation act for the Department of Agri- 
 culture a year ago a clause was inserted which I have here, which 
 may be of interest to you in this connection, reading as follows : 
 
 That hereafter (which makes it permanent legislation) In carrying on the 
 activities of the Department of Agriculture, involving cooperation with State, 
 county, and municipal agencies, associations of farmers, individual farmers, 
 universities, colleges, boards of trade, chambers of commerce, or other local 
 organizations or associations of business men, business organizations, and in- 
 dividuals v^^ithin the State, Territory, District, or insular possession in which 
 such activities are to be carried on, moneys contributed from such outside 
 sources, except in the case of the authorized activities of the Forest Service, 
 shall be paid only through the Secretary of Agriculture or through State, 
 county, or municipal agencies, or local farm bureaus or like organizations 
 cooperating for the purpose with the Secretary of Agriculture. 
 
 Mr. Brand. Eight there: Is there any local agency cooperating 
 with the Department of Agriculture anywhere in the United States, 
 except the farm bureau ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes; there are organizations which are not known as 
 farm bureaus, not so designated ; for instance, these county councils 
 of agriculture. 
 
 Mr. Strong. They are the same thing, are they not, Doctor? 
 
 Dr. True. They have the same general purpose ; yes. 
 
 Mr. Brand. Are you cooperating with them and they with you ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes ; if they have funds to help p«y toward the salary 
 of the county agents we will cooperate with them in the same way. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. How many of your county and district agents have 
 you lost to this farm bureau by their taking them over at a larger 
 salary ; have you any idea ? You have lost some of your best men, 
 have you not, who have resigned from your extension force to become 
 agents of this American Farm Bureau Federation ? 
 
 Dr. True. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You have lost a good many of them ? 
 
 Dr. True. A number of them. 
 
 Mr. Brand. Do these county agents ever act as secretaries for the 
 county farm bureaus at their meetings or sessions ? 
 
 Dr. True. Instances of that you will find undoubtedly ; but we do 
 not like that arrangement. 
 
 ' Mr. Brand. That is what I want to ask, if that meets with your 
 approval ? 
 
24 FAKM OEGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Dr. True. No; the farm bureau should stand on its own bottom, 
 so to speak, and the county agent should not be an officer of the 
 farm bureau. But, you understand, with the great variety of con- 
 ditions throughout the country and the closeness of touch that the 
 farmers have with the farm bureau they often lead him, almost 
 compel him, to do things which he ought not to do. And yet, when 
 those matters are brought to our attention, we try to correct them. 
 
 Mr. Beand. Are you interested in the county agent's activities to 
 increase the membership of the farm bureau? Does that meet with 
 your approval or is it done under your direction ? 
 
 Dr. True. He should not act as an active emissary of the farm 
 bureaus to solicit memberships — ^he should keep out of that. 
 
 Mr. "WiNGO. Has your attention been called to cases where he acts 
 as secretary of the county farm bureau and sends out their litera- 
 ture in franked envelopes ? 
 
 Dr. Teub. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Literature sent out in his capacity of secretary of the 
 farm bureau and not as county agent ? 
 
 Dr. TKtnB. Such cases have occurred, and, where they have been 
 called to our attention, we took that up with the extension director. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Of course, you can not be held responsible for the ir- 
 responsible acts of scattered individuals. 
 
 Dr. True. It is very difficult. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I am not trying to charge you with that. Doctor. 
 
 The Chairman. No harm could result from drawing a strict line 
 down through the actions of the county agents and the county farm 
 bureaus, could there ? For instance, in the appropriation bill, if the 
 language were so framed that it provided none of this money should 
 be used for the purpose of supporting the county farm bureaus, 
 would there be any harm from such a proposition — from the opera- 
 tion standpoint? 
 
 Dr. Trtie. I think not, if it is properly worded. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Would not that be properly wording it, the way the 
 chairman stated it? 
 
 Dr. True. Generally. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Here is the point we are interested in: We do not 
 want to destrojr the, efficiency of. the county agent by reason of the 
 friction that might arise, even assuming that it is jealousy that is 
 not justified; but we have to meet conditions as public servants 
 frequently and not theories. And I do not want any activity of your 
 department or any discrimination to cause such a friction as will 
 weaken the cause of your county-agent system. I do not care how 
 many farm organizations there are, but I know enough about human 
 nature to know if Congress or an administrative bureau selects one 
 particular farm organization and undertakes to say it will recognize 
 it as the voice of agriculture, it will produce just about as much 
 friction — the ladies present prevent me from using the proper word — 
 as it would be to say we would recognize one church as having all 
 wisdom in handling the question of the spiritual welfare of the 
 country. You will have just the same situation. Human nature is 
 human nature, and just as soon as you let the county farm bureaus 
 create the impression they are part of your department and they 
 are the selected few, it is going to cause awful resentment in the 
 breasts of the farmers' union, the grange, and other organizations. 
 
FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 25 
 
 They may be wrong, but it is not a q^uestion of who is right and who 
 IS wrong ; it is a question of weakening the Government's aid in the 
 development of agriculture through Federal appropriations. That is 
 the danger of the thing I am talking about. 
 
 Dr. True. I am thinking along the same general line, in that we 
 do not want to have a state of things in this country where the differ- 
 ent farm organizations are quarreling with each other, because that 
 would be vital to their cause, and we welcome any arrangement which 
 will enable them to work in harmony and to pull together in the 
 interests of agriculture. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. We do not Avant you to go away with the idea the com- 
 mittee is criticizing you for helping any farm organization, but we 
 did want to present to you the criticism that bore in on us against 
 your discriminating against other farm organizations. That is the 
 point. We want you to help all of them for the support of all 
 farmers. If the farmers of a community organize an association, we 
 do not care what they call it; if they apply to your agents for infor- 
 mation and want aid, we want you to give it to them, and not to say, 
 "No; you must join some other organization." 
 
 Dr. True. You must understand that is just our position— that the 
 agent should give every farm organization the information and in- 
 struction that they have to give. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. The impression has gone out to the contrary and 
 for that reason I have called it to your attention. I am convinced 
 you really want to help all farm organizations, and I am not 
 criticizing you ; but take, for instance, in a county where the ques- 
 tion of making an appropriation for county aid is determined by the 
 quorum court, and that quorum court is made up of the justices of the 
 peace of the county, and those justices of the peace, 90 per cent of 
 whom are farmers, usually join the farmers' union, and they come 
 down to the courthouse to make an appropriation. They may not 
 say so to the presiding officer, to the county judge; they may not 
 say so to the county agent or to the agent of the extension force there 
 to help select a home demonstration agent, but they have said to 
 themselves out in the courthouse yard, " They are discriminating 
 against my organization, the farmers' union, and we will cut off their 
 supply." And so the whole organization of that county has to suffer. 
 Just from your viewpoint and the viewpoint of the farmers' bureau, 
 say they are jealous, say they are unjustified, yet we have to recognize 
 conditions as they are. And it is not sufficient to say that condition is 
 not possible to exist, because it has existed, and I am afraid of its bad 
 effects on the aid to agriculture. I am not objecting to your helping 
 the farm bureau, but I insist you give no help to any one bureau 
 which you won't give to any other farm organization that represents 
 a group of farmers, just like you help the individual farmer if he 
 applies for aid. I do not want the public to get the idea there is a 
 selected organization that the Government recognizes, and if the 
 farmers want to be in and get the benefits from the Agricultural De- 
 partment they have to go and join another organization than the 
 one of their choice. That is the thing I want to avoid, and I think 
 every Congressman wants to avoid that. 
 
 The Chairman. Just before you leave, I want to ask you, in con- 
 nection with the organization of the State federations and the na- 
 
26 FARM OEGANIZATIONS. 
 
 tional federation, have county agents and the representatives of the 
 United States Department of Agriculture assisted in the organization 
 of these federations ? 
 
 Dr. True. I do not know that they have. Of course, these people 
 are all closely associated in various ways, but my understanding has 
 been that the farm bureaus themselves have formed their own State 
 federations and the national federation. 
 
 The Chairman. And in that they have not been assisted by the 
 county agents or the representatives of the colleges or the Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture, to your knowledge? 
 
 Dr. True. Not in any definite way, so far as I know. 
 
 The Chairman. That is all, Doctor. We are very much obliged 
 to you. 
 
 Dr. True. I am very glad to have been before the committee. 
 
 The Chairman, Mr. Hampton is here, and he is going to furnish 
 us with the information Mr. Marsh stated he would furnish at the 
 previous meeting. Mr. Hampton, we will hear you very briefly. 
 
 STATEMENT OF MR. GEORGE P. HAMPTON, WASHINGTON, D. C, 
 MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE FARMERS' NATIONAL COUNCIL. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I am managing director of the Farmers' National 
 Council, general manager of the All- American Cooperative Com- 
 mission, Washington representative of a number of farm organiza- 
 tions, and also Washington correspondent of a number of farm 
 papers. 
 
 The Chairman. Now, Mr. Hampton, when Mr. Marsh was before 
 the committee the other day certain questions were asked him re- 
 garding your organization — what it was, why it was here, who it 
 was representing, and how you were financially supported. I under- 
 stood from Mr. Marsh you would present those facts to us. 
 
 Mr. Strong. Mr. Chairman, before he proceeds, he says he is the 
 representative of several farm organizations and the correspondent 
 for several farm papers, and I suggest he put in the record, if he 
 has no objection, the names of the organizations and the names of the 
 papers in order that we may have that information before us. You 
 may put it in later when the minutes are submitted to you ; you need 
 not do it now. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I can do that from memory. It will just take a 
 minute and that will settle it. All or nearly all the farm organiza- 
 tions I represent are affiliated with the Farmers' National Council, 
 but all these organizations have a nximber of things to attend to down 
 here at Washington, either with Congress or the various bureaus and 
 departments of the Federal Government, in which they need repre- 
 sentation to cover other features besides those included in the 
 program of the Farmers' National Council. 
 
 Foremost amongst these organizations is the Washington State 
 Grange, of which I have been the Washington legislative agent for 
 over 12 years here at Washington. Other of these organizations are the 
 National Gleaner Federation, with its main organization in the State 
 of Michigan; a number of the American Societies of Equity; the 
 North Carolina Farmers' Union and several dairy organizations. 
 
FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 27 
 
 Among the farm papers are what are known as the Pierce Farm 
 Weeklies; the Iowa Homestead; the Stockman and Farmer of 
 Kansas, Kansas City, Mo.j circulating mainly in Kansas and in the 
 State of Missouri; the Wisconsin Farmer; the Gleaner Forum, the 
 national organ of the National Gleaner Federation; the Agricul- 
 tural Grange News, offifficial organ of the Washington State Grange; 
 and Farm Stock and Home, one of the leading farm papers of the 
 Northwest, published at Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 Now, if I understand, what you want from me is a statement 
 of the organizations represented in the Farmers' National CounciL 
 some information in regard to its program and also its source ot 
 income. 
 
 The Chairman. Yes. And some of the others who have testified 
 already before the committee have told us what their annual income 
 was, from what source it was received, and how it was expended — 
 for what purposes. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I might as well make a preliminary introductory 
 statement. The Farmers' National Council is the outgrowth of sys- 
 tematic study and work to secure the farmers' rights here in Wash- 
 ington. The organization out of which it grew Avas composed of 
 what was known as the Conference of Progressive State Granges and 
 sometimes referred to in grange circles as the insurgent State granges. 
 I am a member of the grange and so is Mr. Marsh. 
 
 A good many years ago, in an honorary capacity — that is, without 
 pay — I represented the National Grange down here, along with the 
 legislative committee, looking after legislation for the entire organi- 
 zation; but bitter differences of opinion as to policies grew up be- 
 tween the national offices and some of the State Granges. These 
 State Granges decided on independent action, and I gave my support 
 to their movement. At my suggestion they opened up to make a 
 drive to secure the legislation which the granges in the various States 
 and the National Grange itself had indorsed. Among the things 
 taken up was the parcel post. These six State granges formed a 
 nucleus and organized a national committee and appealed to the 
 farmers' union and others to affiliate. Then we organized a central 
 committee composed of representatives of these granges and the 
 National Farmers' Union, of which Mr. Davis, of Arkansas, the 
 present secretary-treasurer of the farmers' union; a member of the 
 union from Tennessee, whose name I have forgotten but whom Mr. 
 Barrett can name ; a granger who Avas in the United States Senate at 
 that time. Senator Gardner, of Maine ; and Mr. Creasy, at that time 
 State master of Pennsylvania Grange and the predecessor of Mr. 
 McSparran here, composed the membership of this joint committee, 
 with President Barrett, of the farmers' union, as a fifth member of 
 the committee if the representatives of these granges and the Union 
 did not agree, and with myself in charge as executive secretary. 
 Then when we found that the marshaling of additional strength was 
 necessary, acting under the instructions of our committee, we called 
 a general parcel-post conference and at that conference was formed 
 an organization to supplement the farmers' work, known as the 
 Postal Express Federation, with which representative business men. 
 who had the same idea in mind, affiliated. The Farmers' National 
 Committee on Postal Keform and this Postal Express Federation 
 were the two wings of the parcel-post campaign, although they had 
 
28 FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 the same management, harmonizing that work perfectly. I am 
 making this explanation to indicate the policy and plan that has been 
 steadily followed out in all further developments of our activities 
 down here in Washington. 
 
 When the war came on and we were all under the necessity of 
 aiding in consolidating the farm forces behind the Government in the 
 prosecution of the war, we made strenuous efforts to bring all the 
 farm organizations into a harmonius understanding and definite co- 
 operation, to the one big end that we all, as Americans, had in view. 
 
 As evidence developed as to what the af ter-the-war problems would 
 be, many farmers saw greater necessity for cooperation and a general 
 conference, to consider the great reconstruction problems as thej' 
 affected the farmers' interests, open to all farm organizations, was 
 called, a tentative program drafted, based on the actions of the 
 various organizations, and a temporary committee called here to 
 Washington to consider the diiferent proposals and prepare a more 
 complete tentative draft. That tentative draft was put in printed 
 form and sent to all the organizations with the view that two months 
 later they should assemble here in Washington in delegate capacity 
 and adopt a joint reconstruction program. 
 
 The Chairman. That was the inception of the Farmers' jSTational 
 Council ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. That was the inception of the Farmers' National 
 Council. 
 
 The Chairman. Briefly, Mr. Hampton, can you tell us from what 
 source you derive your income ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I am glad to do that. Heretofore, up to this last 
 year, the organization was entirely on a voluntary contribution basis. 
 The general budget was mapped out, and the amount of the budget 
 to do the minimum of effective work was stated, and appeals for 
 funds were made. Here is a statement of our income and expendi- 
 tures during 1920. I understand that covers what you asked for. 
 This has been hastily prepared, because I expected to wait until I 
 made my general report and income-tax return, etc. I only got back 
 from the West yesterday morning, and have had a great deal of busi- 
 ness to attend to, but I got this statement together. It is absolutely 
 correct as to receipts. There may be some errors in classifying dis- 
 bursements, but those errors will be negligible so far as percentages 
 are concerned. 
 
 The Chairman. Are you going to read that statement ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I am going to make the statement right here that 
 we cover several activities in our general headquarters, but I am 
 giving you the entire statement for all expenses in all activities, and 
 then I separate those that belong to the Farmers' National Council. 
 The Farmers' National Council is the National Legislative Federa- 
 tion of Farm Organizations and individual farmers who subscribe to 
 its program. It is exclusively devoted to this purpose. It has no 
 other functions. Noav, I will state the income from all sources, where 
 it is from, the purpose, and amount for the calendar year 1920 : 
 
 Washington State Grange, for the Farmers' National Council 
 $900.84. Gleaners, also for the Farmers' National Council, $30o! 
 Michigan potato growers, also for the Farmers' National Council, 
 $200. Small subscriptions from individual farmers, etc., $509. Ed. 
 C. Laseter, for packer control, transportation, and credit sections. 
 
FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 29 
 
 of the Farmers' National Council program, $5,300. William Kent, 
 for the Farmers' National Council, $2,500. All- American Coopera- 
 tive Conmiission, for cooperative commission work of the general 
 manager's office, $1,917.95. Plum Plan League, for part payment of 
 triple alliance meetings in support of two years' extension of Gov- 
 ernment operation of railroads, $1,933. Special news service for farm 
 papers, $1,682.70. Incidental special service for farm papers— that is 
 an error; I mean for farm organizations— at cost. $50.29. Mrs. Mary 
 Fels and other single taxers, for single-tax educational work, con- 
 ducted by myself as legislative agent of the Washington State Grange 
 and not as part of the Farmers' National Council educational work, 
 *r.()(). Of the $500, Mrs. Mary Fels contributed $300, and other sin- 
 gle taxers. $200. 
 
 The total 1920 receipts were $15,793.78. Total expenditures, 
 $19,430.07. Advanced by myself to balance disbursements, $3,636.29. 
 
 Here are the disbursements. Salaries : George P. Hampton, $('>,000 ; 
 C. B. Marsh, $3,600 ; secretary to Mr. Hampton, $1,739 ; secretary to 
 Mr. iMarsh, $1,625: other office help, $767.35. Total for salaries "and 
 Avages $13,731.35. 
 
 Office rent, $725; new office equipment, $285; printing and office 
 stationery, $1,345 : general office supplies, $421 ; telephone and tele- 
 graph, $191.52 ; traveling, $1,180 ; newspaper-clipping service, $40.70 ; 
 newsi^aper and magazine subscriptions, $27.75; postage, $587.55; 
 stenographic reports, $132.35. These stenographic reports were ad- 
 vance transcripts of hearings we were interested in. Attorney, $100; 
 repairs (typewriters, etc.), $9; drayage, $23; sundries (including all 
 expenses paid out of petty cash), $1,030.85. That makes a total of 
 expenditures of $19,430.07. 
 
 Summarizing and classifying receij^ts. the total receipts for all 
 purposes were $15,793.78, distributed as follows: From the All- Am- 
 erican Cooperative Commission for work of commission, $1,917.95 ; 
 Plumb Plan League, for part payment of expenses of triple alliance 
 meetings in support of two-year extension of Government control of 
 railroads, held in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, 
 and North Carolina, $1,933; special news service for farm papers, 
 ^1,682.70 ; incidental special service for organizations and individuals, 
 $50.29 : Mrs. Mary Fels and other single taxers, $500. That makes a 
 total of $6,583.93 to be deducted from the grand total, leaving a total 
 of receipts for the Farmers National Council of $9,209.84. 
 
 (The statement submitted by Mr. Hampton is as follows :) 
 
 Finf'iirhil stateinrnt for 1920 of Faimcrf'' National lircjjquartryx. \)(is1iviff- 
 ton, D. C. conducted hy Ocorge P. Ifdiiijihin. 
 
 IXrOME FROTf ALL SOUnCKS. 
 
 Washington State Grange, for Farmers' National Council $900.84 
 
 Gleaners, for Farmers' National Council 300.00 
 
 Michigan Potato Growers' Exchange, for Farmers' National Cnun- 
 
 ei]__; 200. 00 
 
 Small subscriptions from individuals, for Farmers' National Council .509. 00 
 Ed C. Lasater, for packer control, transportation and credit sections 
 
 of Farmers' National Council program "i. 300. 00 
 
 William Kent, for Farmers' National Council 2, 500. 00 
 
 All American Cooperative Commission, for cooperative commission 
 
 work of the general manager's office 1,917.9.5 
 
30 FAEM OKGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Plumb Plan League, for part payment of triple alliance meetings in 
 support of two years' extension of Government operation of rail- 
 roads $1, 933. 00 
 
 Special news service, for farm papers li 682. 70 
 
 Incidental special service for farm papers, at cost 50. 29 
 
 Mrs. Mary Fels and other single taxers, for single-tax educational 
 work conducted by G. P. Hampton as legislative agent of the 
 Washington State Grange and not as part of the Farmers' National 
 
 Council educational work 500. 00 
 
 Total 1920 receipts 15, 793. 78 
 
 Advanced by G. P. Hampton to balance disbursements 3, 636. 29 
 
 19, 430. 07 
 
 DISBUESBMBNTS. 
 
 Salaries : 
 
 G. P. Hampton 6, 000. 00 
 
 B. C. Marsh 3, 600. 00 
 
 Secretary to Mr. Hampton 1, 739. 00 
 
 Secretary to Mr. Marsh 1, 625. 00 
 
 Other office help 767. 35 
 
 13, 731. 35 
 
 Office rent 725. 00 
 
 New office equipment 285. 00 
 
 Printing and office stationery 1, 345. 00 
 
 General office supplies 421. 00 
 
 Telephone and telegraph 191.52 
 
 Traveling 1, 180. 00 
 
 Newspaper-clipping service . 40. 70 
 
 Newspaper and magazine subscriptions 27. 75 
 
 Postage 587.55 
 
 Stenographic reports 132. 35 
 
 Attorney , ._ lOa 00 
 
 Repairs — typewriters, etc 9. 00 
 
 Drayage 23. 00 
 
 Sundries (including all expenses paid out of petty cash) 1, 030. 85 
 
 19, 430. 07 
 
 SUMMARY CLASSIFYINQ KECEIPTS. 
 
 Total receipts for all purposes 15, 793. 78 
 
 AU-American Cooperative Commission, for work of com- 
 mission (___ $1, 917. 95 
 
 Plumb Plan League, for part payment of triple alliance 
 meetings in support of two-year extension of Govern- 
 ment control of railroads 1, 933. 00 
 
 Special news service for farm papers 1, 682. 70 
 
 Incidental special service for organizations and indi- 
 viduals . , 50. 29 
 
 Mrs Mary Fels and other single taxers ,500. 00 
 
 6, 583. 93 
 
 Total receipts for Farmers' National Council 9,209.84 
 
 The Chairman. I understand from that, Mr. Hampton, that you 
 have no regular membership annual dues? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. We have now. About a year ago many reflections 
 were cast upon the Farmers' National Council because its memloers 
 did not pay dues. As a matter of fact, I had been agitating for sev- 
 eral years past that we should be put on a much more definite financial 
 basis than was possible on voluntary contributions of indefinite 
 
FARM ORGANIZATIONS. 31 
 
 amount. I secured all the evidence I could get of these reflections 
 and their source, and submitted a statement to the farmers' organiza- 
 tions affiliated with the council, with a suggestion that they should 
 adopt a constitution and bj^-laws and go on a dues-paying basis. For 
 the State farm organizations affiliated with the Farmers^ National 
 Council which are also members of other national farm organizations, 
 particularly the Washington State Grange and other State granges, 
 we suggested a supplementary plan that in place of per capita dues 
 they should pledge an amount equal to what any other organization 
 of like membership would contribute on the per capita basis. The 
 Washington State Grange has agreed to that, and I may say, in pass- 
 ing, I think you will find the amount that the Washington State 
 Grange paid to the Farmers' National Council in 1920 is larger than 
 the net amount they paid to the National Grange. 
 
 The Chairman. Mr. Hampton, what is your total membership ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I think at the present time it would be difficult for 
 me to say, but at the time the reconstruction program was adopted 
 by this delegate convention here in Washington we estimated there 
 were 750,000 organized farmers who indorsed that program. 
 
 Now, some of those who indorsed that program never affiliated in 
 contributing to our expenses, but they did notify us they had adopted 
 our program, and would take our matter and would attend to all the 
 activities needed to support the program in their jurisdictions. The 
 Farmers' National Council has done little field work ; we simply put 
 the matter up to and call upon the organizations to do the field work. 
 
 As I have stated, a little more than a year ago I submitted recom- 
 mendations to the affiliated farm organizations to go on a dues- 
 paying basis, and on the recommendation of the board a tentative 
 draft for a constitution and a new plan for organization and affilia- 
 tion with the council was adopted. These provide for dues, and since 
 this was adopted the North Carolina Farmers' Union has come in on 
 a dues-paying basis, and the farm organizations now affiliated in the 
 reorganization of the American Societies of Equity, under the new 
 title of the United Farmers of America, are also coming in on a 
 dues basis. 
 
 The Chairman. Are those annual dues ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Yes. They are coming in on an annual dues basis. 
 We put the dues at 25 cents, with the proviso that in special cases 
 the executive board may allow temporarily a minimum of 10 cents 
 per capita to give farm organizations which would have to increase 
 their membership dues an opportunity to do so before being required 
 to pav a per capita of 25 cents. That is simply a temporary modifica- 
 tion to meet existing conditions as to dues in some of the affiliated 
 organizations. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You say you have the Farmers' Union of South Caro- 
 lina coming in on a basis of 10 cents ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Of North Carolina. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. On a basis of 10 cents per capita ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Yes ; on a basis of 10 cents per capita. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. They are interested, I presume, in the single-tax acti\i- 
 ties? 
 
32 FAKM OKGANIZATIONS. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Well, no. The single-tax activities have nothing to 
 do with the Farmers' National Council. The council is in no way 
 responsible — the council has nothing to do with the single-tax activi- 
 ties. I am a single taxer myself, you know; there is no question 
 about that. The Washington State Grange has indorsed the ^ngle 
 tax, and it is as their rejjresentative I conduct the single-tax activi- 
 ties. I am unqualifiedly in favor of the Ralston-Nolan bill, pending 
 before Congress. Those are measures the Farmers' National Council 
 is not connected with, except they are interested in supporting public 
 discussion of all questions in dispute. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I was trying to arrive at the community of interest 
 between you and the farmers of North Carolina, whether it was on 
 your single-tax views or not. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. The representatives and delegates from the Farm- 
 ers' Union of North Carolina participated in the conference which 
 drafted and adopted the farmers' reconstruction program, on which 
 the legislative activities of the Farmers' National Council are based. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. I notice you use the word " reconstruction " several 
 times. What do you mean by " reconstruction ;" such as we had after 
 the Civil War? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. No; it covers the broad legislative questions now 
 pending before Congress and which have come to the front in a very 
 acute form as a result of the World War. If you would like to have 
 this program placed in the record, I have it right here. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. What particular problem has the war created for the 
 American farmer? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Here is a statement of the reconstruction program 
 of the Farmers' National Council. It is summarized right here, if you 
 want to put it in the record. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. No; I want to get just in a general way what par- 
 ticular reconstruction program the war has created for the American 
 farmer that did not exist before. I want to get your idea on that. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I would not undertake to say they were created by 
 the war, but certainly they came to a very acute head as a result of 
 the war. For instance, the tremendous volume of the war debt is 
 certainly a grave problem that vitally affects the farmer's interest, 
 and the packer- control legislation — the question of who is going to 
 control the food supply — is a very vital question. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. That is not a reconstruction problem. You mean to 
 reconstruct the Government or what? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. You can take this : I do not want to take much time 
 in going into these different details, but here is a detailed statement 
 of the reconstruction program of the Farmers' National Council. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. It is not a question of taking time. As a member of 
 the committee I want to get your viewpoint of the particular recon- 
 struction program. The question of packer control was a pressing 
 problem before the war. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. It has been for 10 years. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You would not class that as a reconstruction problem. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. We have included it in what is called the farmers' 
 reconstruction program. That is one of the big planks of the pro- 
 gram that the Farmers' National Council is organized to aid in 
 carrying into effect. 
 
PAEM OKGANIZATIONS. 33 
 
 Mr. WiNGo. Your idea, then, of the, word " reconstruction " is to 
 get legislation and not to rec9natruct the Government ? ' ' 
 
 Mr. Hampton'.' You can use the word "legislative" in defining the 
 reconstruction program, if you like. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. No ; I would be opposed to reconstructing the legisla- 
 tive body. , , 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I will just give a summary of the general headings : 
 
 First, Government ownership and operation of railroads for service 
 and not for profit. 
 
 Second, public ownership and development of natural resources for 
 the people. 
 
 Third, Government ownership of the ships built by the people and 
 operation thereof to encourage manufaqturingi and agriculture. 
 
 Fourth, adequate control of the meat-packing industry. 
 
 Fifth, paying the cost of the war by taxes on estates,' incomes, excess 
 profits, natural resources speculatively held, and a capital tax with a 
 high exemption on all property, 
 
 Sixth, to make credit as cheap and as available to agriculture as to 
 any other legitimate and^ responsible 4ndustry. 
 ' These are the six essentials qf the program. : 
 
 Mr. Strong. Have you any legislation to suggest as to how that 
 last proposition of cheap credits to agriculture can be brought about ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Of course, with all due respect to the members of 
 this committee, I am not here now to make an argument in favor of 
 this program. , 
 
 Mr. Strong. I just asked iVoujf you had any legislation to suggest. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Yes; and I will be glad to have representatives of 
 our committee at the proper time come before your committee and 
 discuss those questions or do so myself. 
 
 "Mr. Strong. I just asked you the question if you have some legisla- 
 tion to suggest that would bring about that extension of credits. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Yes ; we have, and our director of legislation will 
 be glad to come before this committee or any other committee of 
 Congress at any time you or any Members of Congress desire and 
 present our case, and, if necessary, I will come myself. 
 
 Mr. Strong. We have had the matter discussed, but I was wonder- 
 ing if you had a legislative program to suggest. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Yes ; we have — most decidedly. 
 
 The Chairman. I think W|Q have here the information we were 
 seeking from you unless you have something special there. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Here are three resolutions adopted by the conven- 
 tion of the United Farmers of America. 
 
 The Chairman. You can put those right into the minutes. 
 
 Mr. Hampton. One is .their declaration of affiliation with the 
 Farmers' National Council on a per capita of 25 cents annual dues ; 
 another, affiliation with the Ail-American Cooperative Commission 
 on 10 cents per capita ; and the third indicates its friendly relation-^ 
 
 ship to labor. , , 
 
 Is there anything jno^-ie gentlemen?, 
 
 Mr. Wingo. Wh^t did you say your salary was; I did not catch it '. 
 Mr. Hampton. It is $6,000 a year, provided I get it. 
 
 33920—21 3 
 
34 FAKM OEGAXIZATIONS. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. That is true of all of us. 
 
 Mr. Hajiiton. "\Vl41, I do not know, but when this organization 
 was formed the affiliating farm organizations were all on a voluntary 
 contribution basis, and I assumed the financial responsibility. Each 
 year 1 submitted a minimum budget and stated that we could not 
 malvB an effective showing with less than that amount of money. 
 Then for the purpose of getting started I underwrote it, and I had to 
 go down in my pocket many a time to meet the deficit and balance 
 expenditures. I did not have to do this every year. This last year, 
 as the statement I have presented shows, I had to go down in my own 
 pocket. I have cut my salary a little bit more than squarely in two, 
 so tliat I get less than $2,500, in round figures. 
 ISIr. Stkong. Won't that be cumulative? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Well, in a moral sense ; yes ; but the legal obliga- 
 tion never exists. 
 
 Mr. Strong. I know, but if they get the money in the treasury 
 you will get the money ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. If they get the money in the treasury I believe I 
 will get it. 
 
 Mr. WiNGo. Does that salary mean your combined salary from 
 your single-tax activities and the National Council and all these 
 others ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. It is my combined salary. When I cast in my lot 
 with the Progressive State Granges I made the pledge I would agree 
 with them at the beginning of any year what my full salary was to be 
 for that year and then prorate it. I do not pyramid ; I do not even 
 take the money I get for writing articles for myself. I threw that 
 into the general pot, and my salary is the combined amount I get 
 from all sources. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. Which one of the pots, the single-tax pot or the 
 Farmers' National Council pot? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. I mean the Farmers' National Council. The sin- 
 gle t:ix has meant no money to me ; every penny I got went into propa- 
 ganda work. 
 
 Mr. WiNGO. You simply get contributions for propaganda work 
 and no salary for that ? 
 
 Mr. Hampton. Not any salary for that. That was a " love " service, 
 if I may so express it — not that the other work is not love service 
 also. 
 
 (The resolutions filed by Mr. Hampton are as follows:) 
 
 EESOLt"nON ADOPTED liY THE NATIONAL UNION OF THE UNITED FAKMEKS OF AMERICA 
 IN ANNUAL CONVENTION, CHICAGO, ILL., FEBRUARY 3-5, 1921. 
 
 Whereas the Farmers' National Council is serving most effectively the farmers 
 
 of America in carrying out the reconstructiou program to put agriculture 
 
 upon a sound economic basis ; and 
 Whereas the Farmers' National Council is best equipped also to serve farmers 
 
 in national legislative matters not included in the council's reconstruction 
 
 program : Therefore 
 ■ Resolved by the United Fanners of Americn in annnnl convcniion assemUed, 
 That we affiliate with the Farmers' National Council, indorse its reconstruction 
 program, and contribute annually to the council for carrying out its reconstruc- 
 tion program, and for services to be rendered to the United Farmers of America, 
 at least 25 cents per capita of the membership of the United Farmei-s of 
 America. 
 
PAUM OKGANIZATIONS. 35 
 
 AITILIATES WITH THE AT.T,- AMERICAN COOPEKATIVE COMMISSION. 
 
 Resolved hy the National Union, United Farmers of America, in annual con- 
 ference assembled, Chicago, III., Pebruary S-5, 1921, That we affiliate with the 
 Atl-American Cooperative Commission and contribute annually to the commis- 
 sion, for carrying out its program, at least 10 cents per capita of the dues- 
 paying membership of the United Farmers of America. 
 
 OPPOSED TO THE ENFOECED OPEN SHOP. 
 
 Resolved hy the United Farmers of America in annual convention assem,l)led, 
 ■Morrison Hotel, Chicago, III., February 3-5, 1921, That we are in favor of col- 
 lective bargaining for farmer and labor alike and are therefore opposed to the 
 iSiforced open shop. 
 
 (The committee thereupon, at 4.30 o'clock p. m., adjourned to to- 
 aiorrow, Wednesday, February 16, 1921, at 10.30 o'clock a. m.) 
 
LITHOMOUNT 
 
 PAMPHLET BINDER 
 
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 Manufactured hu 
 
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 Syracuse, N. Y. 
 
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