c.
This farmer went to Washington
WOODSTOWN, N.J. Merton Coles and his wife,
Pauline, support the actions of fanners demonstrating in
Washington, and they claim that news reports on the
farmers’ activities are slanted against them. That, in fact,
is why they went to the nation’s capital two weeks ago.
Coles says he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, seeing
and reading, so he went down to witness for himself.
“They weren’t giving the story of the farmer,” he ex
plained. “They were talking about violence and tractors
on fire,” he complained.
According to Coles, the farmers didn’t cause any
disruptions. Rather, incidents of bad conduct were in
stigated by law enforcement officers and then one thing
led to another.
The Coles also maintain that if fanners here in the East
were as informed about agriculture and natiohal affairs
He claims there’s more to it than meets the e
By DIETER KRIEG
as the farmers in the Midwest, many more would support
the American Agriculture Movement.
Coles says he went to the nation’s capital not because he
was so dissatisfied with his own farming situation, but
rather to see for himself what’s going on and because he
sympathizes with the plight of Midwestern fanners. His
convictions grew considerably after he made the trip to
Washington. He returned an excited supporter of the
American Agriculture Movement.
He says he can no longer just stand idly by.
“Normally I’m a quiet, peaceful citizen,” he explained.
“But we weren’t getting the coverage, and I believe if
people were properly informed, they would see things
differently,” he continued. He wants to do his part to
spread the kind of thinking the American Agriculture
Movement represents.
(Turn to Page 18)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 24,1979
• Farmers in the East aren't as well informed
about agriculture, government, and World affairs
as their counterparts in the Midwest, says Merton
Coles, a New Jersey dairyman who supports the
American Agriculture Movement. If it weren't for
his Midwestern contacts, he added, he wouldn’t be
informed and enthused enough to support the
cause. As it is, he firmly believes that if others
were as informed as AAM members, they too
would support such activities as the tractorcade in
Washington, D.C.
17