THE FARM BLOC, 1920-23 329 



It was assailed as "vicious class legislation," "fragmentary, faulty, and 

 lopsided," "a meaningless sop to the farmers," "a crude, impractical, and 

 dangerous procedure" that had been evolved without any hearings or the 

 benefit of expert testimony, the sole effect of which was going "to raise 

 the price of a barrel of flour, a loaf of bread, or a mutton chop. . . ." One 

 had sympathies for farmers whose harvest in 1921 was worth $5,000,000,000 

 less than it had been the year before, but what would it do to the salaried 

 classes and the wage earners who would have to foot the bill if such legis- 

 lation were passed? The evidence seemed to be that wages were being 

 reduced in the textile and the iron and steel industries on the grounds 

 that living costs had been falling. One could hardly be reasonable in de- 

 manding that food and clothing prices go up while wages were being 

 slashed. 27 



One of the strongest arguments against tariff legislation like this was 

 that it would fail to find new markets for farm products. In fact, nations 

 like Argentina and Canada and several European countries had already 

 been talking about reprisals against the United States. On March 3, 1921, 

 President Woodrow Wilson with statesmanlike vision vetoed the bill. 



If we wish to have Europe settle her debts, governmental or commercial, we 

 must be prepared to buy from her, and if we wish to assist Europe and ourselves 

 by the export either of food, or raw materials, or finished products, we must be 

 prepared to welcome commodities which we need and which Europe will be 

 prepared, with no little pain, to send us. Clearly this is no time for the erection 

 of high trade barriers. It would strike a blow at the large and successful efforts 

 which have been made by many of our great industries to place them on an 

 export basis. It would stand in the way of the normal readjustment of business 

 conditions throughout the world, which is as vital to the welfare of this country 

 as to that of all the other nations. 28 



Shortly after Harding was inaugurated as President, a second emergency 

 tariff bill was introduced; and this time the Republicans, in full control 

 and committed to a policy of protection, made the measure law. In 

 November the act was extended until other provisions were made by law. 29 



Rural credit became another major concern of the farm bloc. This, of 



27. "Doubtful 'Aid' for the Farmers," Literary Digest, LXVIII (January 8, 1921), 

 pp. 12-13. 



28. Quoted in Wilson Gee, American Farm Policy (New York, 1934), pp. 25-26. 



29. The New International Year Boo\, 1921, p. 23. 



