U.S.A. PRESIDENCY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 50, 28 February 1923, Page 6

U.S.A. PRESIDENCY.

CONTESTANT IN SYDNEY. FARMER-JUDGE-POLITICIAN. (From Our Own Correspondent,) SYDNEY, February 23. ■ An interesting visitor to Sydney this week is Judge Pailey P. Christenson, who contested, the Presidency of the United dates against President Harding. The Judge is on a world tour and will probably proceed from Sydney to New Zealand in about a month's time. He contested his seat with President Harding on the Farmer-Labour ticket His party polled nearly three million votes. Judge Christenson first became pro* minent prior to the last elections in America, when a small group of Liberal leaders in the United States, dissatisfied with the aims and accomplishments of the two major parties, decided to join forces in an endeavour to bring about certain political reforms. When these delegates assembled for conference in Chicago, it was found that a larger representation was present than had ever before attended a political conference in the United States, over 5000 persons being present. Each of the delegates had individual ideas, and represented a group of free-thinkhjg Americans, and advocated measures with a range of subjects from single tax to agrarian legislation. Later each of these political groups held separate meetings, and Judge Christenson "Was elected chairman. After considerate controversy, these bodies determined to rally as one solid political entity under the name of "The Farmers' Labour Party," and during the last political campaign in America, the party's candidates polled nearly three million votes.

"There is tio doubt," said Judge Christenson, "that the time is coming when the working man and fanner will assert themselves in politics as far as the United States. is concerned." The Judge said that agricultural industries in America are on a fairly high plane. Her weakest point was that of distribution. He went to Denmark and learned that while the American farmer was getting' 37$ per cent of what tht ultimate consumer was paying for ths produce, in Denmark the farmer itm getting 72 per cent. That little country led the world in organised farming; They had their co-operative societies, both for buying and selling, and there was no leakage of products. Judge Christenson found farms in Denmark that, after 1260 years of cultivation, were still producing large crops. In America many farms were practically worn out after 150 years' cultivation. Other countries should follow th* example of Denmark. The motto most be "organise and fertilise."

While in Germany he found the German farmer far better off as a whole -han any other section of workers. Ths value of their products had largely increased, while the mark had depreciate! Remarkable reclamation, he said, had been made in the war-torn areas of France. Many fields which it was thought would never produce again, were now under cultivation and bearing good crops. Japan, he said, had mads great strides in her agricultural systems, but there was still room for improvement, although she was ahead of many countries in that respect. Judge Christenson attended both thai Genoa and The Hague Conferences.