Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-16
CHIEF POWpERLY NOTES STRONG
MOVEMENT TOWARDS
AGRICULTURE.
NO LET.UP IN DEMAND
FOR LABOR OF ALL KINDS
Appeals for Help on the Farm More
Numerous Than Ever - Increasing
Tendency to Go to the Farms Notice.
able Among Better Class Of Immi-
grants, Who Come to America.
Especial Correspondence

aShinSton, July 10 Bach 10 t4fe
farm has become reality. II is no
longer a mere expression but a move
ment This is what Terence V. Pow
derby, chief Of the division of infor-
nation of the department OF commerce
and labor. has observed in connection
with his official duties.
Mr.. Powderly was asked whether the
demand for labor the county over was
increasing. He said there was no let
up in the demand for men for work on
the railroads, on construction and the
like but that the demand for farm lab
or was on the increase.
When we began this bureau two
and a half years ago" said Mr.. Pow
derby, we heard a great deal of the
cry back TO the farm But most Of
the men who were talking about going
back 10 the farm did not go They
had never been on the farm in the
first place. Today, change has taken
place. / returned last night from New
York. Mr. Green, who is in charge Of
the station there. says the interest on
the part Of aliens and OF immigrants
already in this country in farm work
is more than it has been for three
months. Men on construction work
and other work in the city are coming
TO US and registering in the hope Of
being sent 10 the farm
Sending Aliens to the Farms.
Mr.. Powderly regards the signs OF an
increasing tendency 10 go to the farms
as unmistakable and he holds the rea-
sons are simple. Immigration to this
country, he says, is largely brought
about by the fact that people already
here write home to their friends and
ask and advise them 10 come. 1t has
been the case for the most part in the
past that the letters sent back to
Europe have been from men working
underground, in the mines, or from
men in work in the cities employed at
something else than farm work. But
the division OF Information has been
sending aliens to the farms in large
numbers in the last two years and a
half No less than 5000 persons have
been sent to permanent positions on
the farms of the country by the divis-
ion. Information regarding farm en-
pioyment and farm conditions has been
sent TO no less than 10000 Of the s.
600 who have been given positions. Mr.
Powderly says but twenty have failed
to stay. He says, too. that these peo-
pie who have gone TO the farms have
been writing 10 their friends abroad or
20 their friends employed in the cities
and the result is gradually growing
tendency TO go to the land. The de-
man6 for farm work comes from all
over the country.
Farmers Employed Year Around.
Mr.. Powderly says one reason why
men are going more and more 20 the
farms TO work is that farmers are
coming more and more to employ help
the year around. Formerly, this was
not done and men were kept only dur
ing the busy season.
From some of the men who two
years ago or so were sent 10 work on
the farms. inquiries are now beginning
to come for help on farms Of their
own. IL other words. sturdy and frugal
immigrants have gone to work on
farms, saved some money OF their own.
ard have bought themselves pieces Of
land.
Colonies of men and women from
the cites are being sent out to the
-orrls in some cases. Just now, a dozen
families from Philadelphia, substantial
German people. are preparing to settle
in colony Of their own in a soutIe RI
state. Various such colonies have beer
established in the south where there
are no end of agricultural opportuni-
lies.
MIR Powderly believes the movement
Of immigrants 10 the farms is bound to
grow, now that IL has been substan-
tally started.