New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-11
FARMERS HUNTING HELP.
Offer High Wages to Draw Men
"Back to the Soil"
CONTRACTORS BULL MARKET
National Employment Bureau to
Invade the East Side to
Find Laborers.

So urgent has become the demand fo'
farm laborers in New York and New jersey
that farmers are offering from y To %
month more this spring than last for
help Likewise the demand for laborers
for contract work in this state as well al
in neighboring states has increased sc
markedly that in many cases a bonus Is
being paid by contractors for good help
To better meet the demands from botn
sources the National Employment Elk
change. which tries 20 provide work for
those who are seeking g. is 10 open another
once I'm New York this week at NO. al
Grand street. The exchange has offices In
state street and in West l2d street az
present Edward w. Carpenter is the
manager.
Mr.. Carpenter says the rev once is De-
ing established in Grand street because
the excuse made by many men In that
territory who are asked 10 work Is that
the State street office from which iaborers
are sent. is too far downtown.
Another tale Of woe comes also from
contractors and farmers alike. II is that
even when men are contracted for they
often work a day or two and then leave
without any notice, going back TO New
York again in most instances.
The prevailing wages for laborers Is
81 30 a day but 81 20 is paid in many places
Farmers paid S5 a month last year, and
they have, in the majority OF farming
districts. raised the amount TO SIS and $50.
Board and lodging so with this, which
makes II even more desirable than con-
tracing work. But where TO get men Us
Mr. Carpenters problem, and he has this
20 say 20 the farmer as well as 70 the con-
tractor:
Foreign laborers prefer contracting work
to working on the farm. American labor
ers. at least those available in New York
City. are not strong enough for II. and pre-
fer city life any way"
This is the conclusion Mr.. Carpenter has
come 10 after scurrying around in New
York last year and this with his lieutenants
in search Of men 20 do the needed work.
The crusade has been carried on in the
thickly settled part of the lower East Side.
and park bench freQuenters have not been
neglected.
The italian laborers," said Mr.. Carpen-
ter. like the contracting work best, be
cause they can live in camps Of from TWEEN
" TO thirty end can have Italian cooking.
An Italian does not like farm work. because
he gets lonely and has 10 eat food cooked
even in pie twice day. The case OF the
Italian is applicable 10 the labor element of
most other foreign countries.
1t would seem, then. that the American
laborer must DO the work on the farm. 1t
has been said so eften that the frequenters
OF the park benches I'm New York are look
ing for work that the National Employ
ment Exchange has made particular efforts
A., 20
il has been successful is told in sentence
almost During one Of the warm sunshiny
DAYS recently men from the State street
office went over 10 Battery Park to see II
some laborers could be secured. Although
the benches were crowded, not man ap-
preached wanted work. either because he
did not want TO leave the city or because
he wasn't well. or something OF the sort.
Il has been tried time and again. but never
with success. Even IL many of them re-
sponded they would not be good help at
first because they are run down through
Icing half fed Yet they are willing TO be
half fed II not required 10 work. The real
American laborer we come across. even 81
he goes 10 farm. does not want to stay
there. Something draws him back 10 the
city This shows itself. too. in the foreign
ct when he has had a taste OF life in the
big cities.
We want 20 do big business at the
new Office in Grand street and as Il is in
a district likely 10 provide help If any
place in the city can the opening is of
great moment. In the mean time the
farmer VIII probably continue 10 get most
of his men from the smaller cities. Some
farmers are willing TO take green help
IL. after learning farm routine, the help
will OrIv stay"