AGRICULTURAL DISCONTENT 



able to compete with that of the North Dakota producers. Concern over 

 this had forced commission firms and millers to threaten to buy the 

 Canadian product. This, plus other troubles, had caused many North 

 Dakotans to want to sell their wheat. But at the same time that the ban 

 on durum was taken off, Langer announced that he was willing to extend 

 the embargo to livestock, poultry, and other commodities if the other 

 governors would join him. 20 



As was expected, the legality of the embargo was tested in the federal 

 courts. The defense for the State of North Dakota charged that the legisla- 

 tive act authorizing the embargo was based on the police power, but to 

 no avail. Early in 1934 the United States District Court declared that the 

 embargo had the effect of regulating interstate commerce and hence was 

 unconstitutional, because that power rested with Congress and not with 

 the individual states. 21 



Opposition to the A.A.A. took still another form early in November 

 when five governors from the western Middle West appeared in Wash- 

 ington and submitted a program calling for price fixing and immediate 

 inflation. The governors unanimously favored the licensing of farmers, 

 processors, and distributors to bring about higher prices, and also to 

 strengthen the production-control program. Governor Olson of Minne- 

 sota recommended that agriculture be "handled as a public utility, as 

 voluntary action to curtail production cannot succeed as long as a sub- 

 stantial number of farmers do not voluntarily join in the program." 2 

 Milo Reno and his followers endorsed the proposals of the governors 

 and threatened to take drastic action if the administration failed to 

 respond to their recommendations. Reno was willing to place the blame 

 for whatever happened on Wallace and roundly denounced the A.A.A. 

 as a plan that sought to "make dole takers and mendicants of the 

 farmers." 23 



After three days of conferences between the governors and the Presi- 

 dent and the Department of Agriculture, the White House issued the 

 following statement: 



20. Ibid., November 17, 1933. 



21. Ibid., January 15, 1934. 



22. Quoted in the Milwaukee Journal, November 2, 1933. 



23. Ibid., November 4, 1933. 



