Bunch of Farmers

Nowadays no employer with a grain of sense would tire his men for joining a union. Once they have joined, the Wagner Act leaves the boss no choice except 1) to recognize their union, or 2) find some other excuse for getting rid of them. No fools, directors of the Richland Center (Wis.) Co-operative Creamery last week forestalled NLRB prosecution by promising to deal with an A. F. of L. union which some of their employes had joined. Next day five of the six directors stood by while 500 farmers racketed into Richland Center.

For much the same reasons that farmer? around Hershey, Pa. ejected Hershey Chocolate Corp. sit-downers last year (TIME, April 19, 1937), the Wisconsin farmers were concerned lest the creamery pay less for their milk if it had to pay more for labor. They forced seven union employes to quit, ordered 15 others to sign a pledge: "I hereby agree not to join any organization bordering on or pertaining to labor unions." Vexed, NLRB's Wisconsin Regional Director Nathaniel S. Clark vowed he would not be "buffaloed by a bunch of farmers," rooted out a Wagner Act section which makes interference with NLRB a penal offense.

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