AGRICULTURAL DISCONTENT 



to "refund and refinance" land indebtedness, to assume broader control 

 over the money system of the country, and to reach a common under- 

 standing with labor, for both were "exploited by the capitalistic owners 

 of the means of production and distribution." These resolutions were 

 accompanied by a warning to the nation's lawmakers that unless legisla- 

 tion was forthcoming in compliance with these demands by May 3, the 

 Farm Holiday Association would prepare for a marketing strike within 

 ten days after the expiration of that date. 44 



Early in 1933 the protestors dropped the farm-strike formula and 

 resorted to the stopping of eviction sales and the waging of agitation to 

 enact moratorium legislation. Forced sales were broken up in Wisconsin, 

 Iowa, and Minnesota, where the holiday movement was the strongest, 

 and also in Nebraska and South Dakota. On January 19, 1933, Governor 

 Clyde Herring of Iowa issued a proclamation asking insurance and mort- 

 gage companies to cease making foreclosures until the state was in the 

 position to act. Most of the important life insurance companies holding 

 such mortgages replied that they had been pursuing a policy of leniency 

 with "owner-operators who were willing to cooperate with them," but 

 that they continued "to prosecute foreclosures in cases where the farm 

 was operated by a tenant or where the premises had been deserted." 



Violence and ugly tempers, however, continued to flare up. One writer 

 observed that "It became virtually impossible for a life company to prose- 

 cute a foreclosure in counties where the Association was strong, no matter 

 how undeserving of consideration the borrower might be. Some few 

 borrowers took advantage of this situation, refused to make any pay- 

 ments, and dared the companies to take action." It is said that the life 

 insurance companies had little trouble with the farm holiday group where 

 "owner-operators" were involved, and that the association "was much less 

 inclined to take up cudgels in defense of nonowner-operators in danger 

 of foreclosure." 



Some creditors at times were prone to try to prosecute foreclosures and 

 met with consequent trouble. In one case the agent of foreclosing finance 

 company was "escorted some distance away" and $800 worth of goods 

 were bought for $14. A horse and an automobile were reported sold for 

 ten cents apiece. In North Dakota some sheriffs continued to make forced 



44. Farm Holiday News, March 22, 1933; Des Moines Register, March 13, 1933. 



