The Topeka state journal., 1906-05-08
men ARE WANTED.
Already Scarcity in Harvest
Fields Is Predicted.
Mr. GerOW Receiving Reports
That Indicate This.
MUST HAVE HANDS.
Question Now How Many Must
Be Imported.
Will Not Print Number Needed
by Counties.

Men for the Kansas wheat harvest
will be scarce, according to reports re-
ceived thus far from forty counties in
the wheat belt to which report blanks
have been sent by T. B. Gerow, agent
of the state free employment bureau.
The requests for information have
been sent to county clerks, grain men,
farmers and others, number of differ
ent people in each county being re-
quested to furnish information. The
present report Is of a preliminary ma
ture. It's purpose is simply to find out
the general labor conditions in the
wheat counties, whether men are
scarce or plenty, and whether the
indications are for a big crop or not.
Mr.. Gerow said today: within a
few days I will be able to give out
definite information concerning the
condition of the crop and the ade-
quacy of the labor supply. Reports
already received, however, indicate
that there is going to be an unusual
shortage of men. There are no lule
men to be found in the state at present,
and outside help must be brought in to
take care of the crop.
''Of course 1t is too early to make
predictions on the size of the crop but
it is probable that Kansas Will have
as much wheat to harvest this year as
II old last. InlS means LItcL Nc mus
get a large number of men from some
place. As soon as I find out the needs,
shall get into correspondence with
labor agencies in the larger cities 10
inform them that we can use men
Some of the counties which nave
been called upon for reports are these
Barton. Clay. Dickinson, Edwards, FL
lis Ellsworth, Graham, Harvey, Aar-
per, Kingman, Jewell, Marion, McPher-
son Marshall Mitchell Ness, Ottawa,
RnnT1h-
lie Rice. Rocks, Rush, Russell, Sa-
line, Sedgwick, Smith, Stafford, sum
ner, Thomas. Trego and Washington
These counties comprise all or the Dig
wheat producing districts of the state
Mr. Gerow thinks that the news
papers interfere with his work by
printing the list which he makes out
each year to show the number of
men needed in each county This re-
port comes a little late in the season,
and it has been the custom for the
newspapers to print the report, for
the purpose of showing where men
are most needed.
Il have about decided" said Mr..
Gerow today. that I will not make
this report public this year, because
the private employment agencies take
advantage Of it. They get hold of a
gang of Iaborers bound for the wheat
fields, and hold them up for 50
apiece. Then they take my list, and
send them to some place which has
called for men. The result is that in
some cases a great many more men
are sent to a given locality than I
know anything about. and the result
is that the place is overcrowded, and
this department gets the blame for
the congested conditions. I believe
that this may be avoided by keeping
secret the results Of my final reports
on the number of men needed. OF
course I have not fully made up my
mind on this point, but I am thinking
about it."
Most people have concluded that
the newspapers are about the most
effective agency the state has for
arousing the interest Of people in the
wheat harvest, but 1t might be, with
the assistance OF Mr.. Gerow's agency,
the, state could get along just as we'll
without the large amount OF free ad-
vertising which the newspapers have
been accustomed to give at this time
of year