WHAT IS THE AGRICULTURAL BLOC? 9 



thing being done about it. Other measures long 

 advocated had received no serious considera- 

 tion. 



The farmers of America found themselves 

 being opposed instead of aided, by business 

 groups which should be the best friends of 

 agriculture. All of these influences worked 

 together to create the unanimous feeling among 

 agricultural leaders that the nation must be 

 brought to realize the danger of further delay- 

 on these questions. 



Early in the present administration it became 

 evident to several Senators and Eepresenta- 

 tives from agricultural districts that a definite 

 plan of procedure must be agreed upon in order 

 that the economic needs of agriculture might 

 be carefully studied and remedies proposed 

 which would be effective. 



The agricultural group, later named the 

 **Bloc" by popular writers, was formed at a 

 meeting called by Senator Kenyon, May 9, 1921, 

 held at the Washington office of the American 

 Farm Bureau Federation, at which twelve 

 Senators met to decide on a program for im- 

 mediate attention. It included an equal num- 

 ber of representatives of the two leading polit- 

 ical parties, principally Senators from the 



