WHAT IS THE AGRICULTURAL BLOC? 11 



crisis ; an endeavor to outline a plan for an eco- 

 nomic re-adjustment rather than a scheme to 

 gain partisan advantage. It declared for things 

 rather than against them; for harmonizing 

 views, not for creating discord; for coopera- 

 tion, not antagonism; and for all citizens, not 

 for farmers alone. 



The outstanding reason that brought this 

 group together was the fact that the general 

 public and the majority of Congress had not 

 realized that the nation had passed into a new 

 economic era in which the balance between 

 agriculture and other industries must be more 

 carefully safeguarded. From this beginning in 

 May, 1921, the group was enlarged to include 

 some 22 Senators and meetings were held from 

 time to time at the office of Senator Kenyon. 



From the very first Senator Kenyon was rec- 

 ognized as#the leader of the group and it was 

 chiefly due to his sincere interest in agriculture 

 and vigorous leadership that the Bloc became 

 effective. 



The following Senators joined the group: 

 Charles L. McNary, of Oregon ; Peter Norbeck, 

 of South Dakota; John W. Harreld, of Okla- 

 homa ; A. A. Jones, of New Mexico ; William J. 

 Harris, of Georgia; H. F. Ashurst, of Arizona; 



