THE BEGINNING OF THE U.F.O. 65 



and that the Legislature be requested to move 

 slowly in this matter." In these resolutions we 

 have the first expression of ideas, so far as the 

 U.F.O. is concerned, that have played an 

 important part in the activities of the Farmer- 

 Labor government. 



Owing to the prevalence of the "Flu" in so 

 many parts of Ontario during the winter of 

 1918-19, club activities were seriously interfered 

 with, but in spite of that, the clubs increased in 

 numbers, and the business company extended its 

 operations also. Besides this, rather more atten- 

 tion than formerly was being paid to the stimulat- 

 ing of debates and the study of public questions. 

 The fruit of this work was seen in a series of < 

 events culminating in the monster convention of 

 1919, the most enthusiastic^gathering the farmers 

 have yet held. In the early autumn, the then 

 Provincial Government, under the leadership of 

 Sir William Hearst, decided to go to the country 

 for re-election. No sooner was this generally 

 understood, than the Province fairly bristled with 

 United Farmer candidates. For the whole story 

 of what took place, the reader must wait until he 

 reaches a later chapter, but just here we note that 

 when the results of the polling on October 20th 

 were made known, the farmer group was found 

 to be much the largest in the House. In due 

 time a Cabinet was formed, and on the evening 



