Vol. 6
MLtay-SfittIsr..January 28* 1S45*
FARMERS UNION CONDEMNS DRAFT AMEND-*
MENT, REGARDING AGRICULTURE.
The recent amendment regarding
the rules deferring Farmers from
the Draft upon compliance with the
needs of farm prodxiction for War
purposes, has been rrundly attacked
by the officials of the Farmers
Union at their recent meeting of
the National Executive Council at
St. Paul, Minn. President Patton
released the statement that the
"16 c^w rule, would mean that less
than 25% of the farms of the U.S.
could comply with the requirements
and would be 'non essential' in the
War production program."
The F.TT. officials call for the
Department of Agriculture to work
for a change In the law through the
War Manpower Commission, so that
the small Farmers could receive
more consideration. It is estimat
ed that the ruling would affect
ever four million farms «nd it
would und ubtedly mean the end of
Democracy on the Farm Front. It
means that these millions of Farm
ers will not bu eligible to receive
loans and assistance until the lar
ger and already successful units
have gotten what they need. At th
end f the war 2,500,000 out of th
6,000,000 farms at present, would
be the only ones left and that
there would bo rn army of millions
of snail farm operators and farm
laborers on the road without homes^.
It would be practically impossible*
for any soldier to 3tart in the
farming game because the market
would be absorbed by the larger and
"war rich11 farm operators.
We quote, ,vthe only hope of meet
ing the ford, requirements cf Amer
ica and the Allies, is in building
up every available American farmer
to maximum production. As now ap
plied, the amendment 'will plough
under’ millions of working farm
families and ’freeze’ millions of
farm workers in jobs at sub-stand
ard wrbes and working conditions
bordering ^n peonage. Any release
of men from agriculture, should be
based on the relative ability to
produce, rather than the possession
of 16 dairy cows or the equivalent
in other livestock or food acreage.
We are already being advised that
non-farm people are buying 16 cows
to get draft exemption. This must,
be stopped.H The Farmers Union off
icials blame three nationally known
farm organizations for the action
(continued on page 5)
o o
CO-OP. NOTES.
New bids art being, called -n the
two cats number 16 and 17, tractor
Disc number 2 and plow number 7.
All other machinery was spld on the
last bids. New bids will cl so on
Feb. 5, and be opened Feb. 6.
Any one requiring new farm mach
inery for the coming, year please
get your orders in immediately so
that we can get the orders out*
Although Alaska is exempt from the
’’machinery freeze" and "regulation"
orders will still be subject to a
vailnble supplies.
This also applies to repair parts
and these should be ordered now.
L.C. Stock.
' *
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
JANUARY 19, 1943.
L.W. BAKER,
ALASKA STEAMSHIP CO.
SEATTLE.
OWING TO EXTREME SEVERE WE/.THER CON
LITION IN ALASKA AND SHORTAGE OF
HAY FARMERS WILL BE COMPELLED TO
BUTCHER VALUABLE MILCH COWS UNLESS
RATE ON HAY BARLEY OkTS WhEi.I AND
FEED MIXES IS REDUCED PERIOD ALASKA
RAILROAD IS WILLING TO RED. CE ITS
RATE FIFTY PERCENT ON COMPRESSED
HAY BARLEY OATS WHEAT AND FLED MIX
ES TO ALL KAIL POINTS UNTIL MAY
FIFTEENTH AND YOU ARE URGENTLY RE
QUESTED TO DO LIKEWISE PLEASE AD
VISE
OHLSON
O.F. OHLson
General Manager •
The Alaska Railroad.
COPY
(This letter was received by the
Settler from Colonel O.F. OHLSON)
%
The regular annual meet1 of the
stockholders of the Matanuske Val
ley Farmers Cooperating Association
will be held at 7:00 p.m., Wednes
day, February 24, 1943, in 'he Com
munity Hall at Palmer, Alaska.
Roland Snodgrass.
Secretary-^reas.
*5fr
Mrs. Genevieve Moffitt is very
ill with pneumonia fever.