I. A. A. RECORD— October, 1933 



Part of the audience of approximately 2,000 In the Armory at Decatur, Monday afternoon, Sept. 18. C. V. Gregory, editor 

 of Prairie Farmer, IR speaiclnfr on farm credit«i. The Farm Bureau leader* pledged 100 per cent co-operation In the Fall 

 Mobilization Campaign to speed the realization of Parity Prices for Agriculture, Property Tax Limitation and Credit Relief. 



for the purpose of submitting to a vote 

 of the people, in November, 1934, needed 

 amendments to the Revenue Article of 

 the Constitution, which will make possible 

 the broadening of the tax base and place 

 upper restrictive limits on property tax 

 rates. 



To promote this program of education, 

 to circulate the petition for tax reform 

 and to execute the oempaign of mobiliza- 

 tion, the Board of Directors of the Illi- 

 nois Agricultural Association recommends 

 for your consideration the following 

 plan: 



That there be appointed by the Presi- 

 dent of the Illinois Agricultural Associa- 

 tion, from the staff and/or affiliated com- 

 panies, a Campaign Committee, of which 

 the President and Secretary of the Illi- 

 nois Agricultural Association shall be 

 members. That this Committee employ for 

 a period of from four to six weeks a special 

 campaign director who shall have active 

 charge of the campaign under the direc- 

 tion of the Campaign Committee. That 

 under the campaign director there be ap- 

 pointed from the staff of the Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association and/or affiliated 

 companies, three regional directors, who 

 shall have charge of respective territories 

 allotted to them by the Campaign Com- 

 mittee. That in each county there be se- 

 lected a Campaign Captain, to be selected 

 and appointed by the chairman of the 

 Campaign Committee, subject to the ap- 

 proval of the County Farm Bureau Presi- 

 dent. That within the several counties 

 co-operating in the campaign there be 

 selected by the county captain, by and 

 with the advice of the County Farm 

 Bureau, a force equal in number at 

 least to the number of townships in the 

 county, these selected men to be known 



as lieutenants. The lieutenants to be se- 

 lected from men in the organization who 

 have shown their ability to mobilize man 

 power and influence men to take con- 

 structive action. 



The circularization of the petition shall 

 be a part of the work of the county field 

 force and every farmer residing within 

 the respective counties shall be inter- 

 viewed. 



To partially compensate the field force, 

 the Board of Directors of the Illinois 

 Agricultural Association have authorized 

 the execution of a memorandum of agree- 

 ment allowing reasonable compensation 

 for their time and efforts. 



Further, that a proper publicity cam- 

 paign be arranged which will set forth 

 the necessity for such mobilization within 

 the state. 



That if this plan for a Full Mobiliza- 

 tion Campaign meets the approval of a 

 substantial majority of the County Farm 

 Bureau Boards, that each County Farm 

 Bureau Board of Directors approving the 

 plan pass proper resolutions authorizing 

 their respective officers to execute suit- 

 able memoranda of agreement with the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association as may 

 be necessary to expedite the campaign 

 and contribute in making it a success. 



Authority In The Law 



President Smith followed the report 

 by briefly outlining the tremendous 

 decline in net farm income from 

 around seven billions to one billion 

 dollars in 1932, the sharp rise in taxes 

 from 24 to 144 million dollars in the 

 state, and the consequent increase in 

 debt not only of agriculture but of 



all groups. Total indebtedness in the 

 Uilited States, he said, approximates 

 our national wealth as now appraised. 



We have the authority of law to 

 put agriculture prices up and relieve 

 the distress of farm debtors, said Mr. 

 Smith, but the trouble comes in its in- 

 terpretation and administration. 



The time has come for greater unity 

 of Agricultural forces. 



We are witnessing organized labor 

 stepping out and insisting that their 

 increased cost of living be met by 

 higher wages. Their demands are be- 

 ing met. Shorter hours, and minimum 

 wage scales are being reflected in 

 higher prices for the things . farmers 

 must buy. Farm prices have not kept 

 pace with farmers' increased costs. 



What are we going to do about it? 

 What is the answer ? Shall we oppose 

 what others are doing for themselves, 

 or shall we work constructively for 

 the advancement of our own cause ? 



President Roosevelt has said that 

 fiarm prices must rise first, the farm- 

 ers' buying power must be restored 

 to lead us out of the depression. The 

 intent and purpose of the administra- 

 tion to accomplish this, I believe, is 

 sincere but realization of the goal is 

 not coming as rapidly as we would 

 like to see. 



Reflecting the widespread criticism 

 of administration of the new farm 



