Smyrna times., 1910-07-20
HELP PROBLEM ON FARMS
Farmers Must Awake to the Situation.
Get Together and Solve the Ques-
ton, Says "HelpIess Farmer"

Mr. EulCOr. y our article OF last |
week, "Help Problem Battles Farm
ers, " is an old. old story. In my
early boyhood days, and, according !
to hearsay, even many years prior to
that date, the scarcity of help was
one of the principal sources of ankle
ty to the farmer. To-day the wages
paid help are almost double and the
improved implements enables the
farmer to accomplish almost double
the amount of labor with the same
amount of help, and yet the question
of help is a greater problem than
ever before. Your article merely
mentions the fact as an item of news,
but is it fresh news to anyone in
Delaware? l am sure it is not to
the farmer. And yet Mr.. Editor, can
it not be turned to more account than
a mere news item? Can it not be
made the keynote of discussion and
agitation that will lead to a solution
of that perpleXing question.
Let Us Hear From Other Farmers
Let US hear from some of our deep
thinking and far-seeing farmers. You
have repeatedly assured me that the
columns of the "Times" are always
oper for the discussion of topics of
interest, and if there is anything of
greater interest and Importance to
our community and our entire little
! State than the improvement of our
farms and farmers, my shortsighted-
ness or lack of comprehension pre-
vents me from seeing it. Our people
must wake up and have something
doing. Head row discussions and
grumbling and muttering to the pa
tient wife or horse or pillow handle
is not going to solve the problem.
Get together, exchange ideas, anC
face the matter in a businesslikt
manner. Communications through
your interesting paper from some o.
our representative men such al
Messrs. James Truax, George R
Lofland, Will Armstrong, Howard
Jones, George Rothwell or man.
! others would be of interest to you
readers, and such agitation woul'
undoubtedly start the brain machiner.
) which would ultimately end in
: satisfactory solution of the laho
J problem. This matter is not only
source of annoyance and loss i
} crops, but it is of vital importanc
2 to our State.
Delaware Soil Must Produce Nor
At the present time thousands G
acres of Delaware's fertile soil
. going to waste, and thousands {
: acres are producing less than one-ha
:, of what they should produce owing
lack of help. If some statisticia
: would give US facts and figures col
cerning our actual farming industl
compared with the possible produ
tiveness of our State, | am afra
many would doubt the truthfulne
. of his assertions until they had il
- vestigated the results obtained by Of
:, more intensive farmers. Column
could be written upon this subje
and the facts are such as would co
- vince anyone that something mu
~ be done, but as it is impossible +
- me to hire anyone to cultivate r
" farm, | am compelled to leave t
ie writing to an abler hand while l r
~ turn to my cultivatOr. In conclusi
d. permit me to make the assertion tn
y the labor problem is not nearly
i' insoluble as many of Our good pC
- pie seem to think. In other commit
tiles where | have been they ha
- solved the problem, and it can
done here, but one farmer cannot
it alone.
bv Farmers Must Get Together
nd Farmers, you must get togeth
ge Think and act at once, for even
he you can manage to squeeze throu
on this season with the help you hf
,c. remember there are other seasons
he be considered. If you could h;
IRE obtained more help or better h
les this season would you not have ca
ass ed more money by more thoroI
raj cultivation, by planting such cr
- as would have returned you m
,as money per acTe, more thoroug
,ed sprayed and cared for your fr
cal trees, double cropped more grou
Dr.. had your horses in better conditi
nth the farm looking better and m
]. productive, and had several hund
an. bushels of corn growing in t
ON. waste ground or old wornout past
ar field? | am sure It would have m
~. a great difference in my receipts.
.al am convinced that 500 spent
nv good reliable help would have
e creased my receipts more than s.
ete Do not allow thi- matter to drop,
Editor, but give it to us good
strono, and Won NAV succeed in