NATIONAL FARMERS' UNION.
[To the Editor of the SpEcTaTon.]
Sirt,—My attention has just been drawn to the following statement which appeared in your issue of the 3rd inst. :—
"It is often said that the true reason why the co-operative movement in agriculture has never spread in this country in the sort of way it has done in Denmark is because the Farmers' Union is controlled by men who are very deeply committed to the interests of the middlemen. We wonder if this is so."
For your information I am sending you a copy of the rules of the Union and a copy of the last Annual Report. The Union is not a trading organization and, for the rest, its policy is decided by the freely-elected delegates of its county branches who compose the Council of the organization. The various Committees of the Union are selected from the members of the Council, and these Committees in turn elect their own chairmen, who comprise the Union's Executive. The election of President and Vice-President annually rests
with the county branches. If you are not satisfied that such a system of organization eliminates the feasibility of the allegation to which you refer, I can only suggest that you take each member of the Council individually and ascertain the extent to which he is "committed to the interests of the middlemen" to the prejudice of the interests of working farmers. The results of your inquiries, I imagine, would not impair the confidence of our county branches in the integrity of their elected representatives.—I am, Sir, &c.,
H. GERMAN, President.
National Farmers' Union, 45 Bedford Square, London, W.C.1.
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