The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-07-21
THE SHORTAGE
OF LABOR NOW
SERIOUSLY FELT
eEoRGIA-FLoRIDA SAW MILL AS
ISOLATION TO BACK FIGHT FOR
ENFORCEMENT OF VAeRANcY
LAW-sTRoNe RESOLUTION Is
ADOPTED.

Florida is face to face with a grave
situation, resulting from a general
shortage OF labor in all industrial lines,
and so acutely is it felt by the sawmill
and lumber interests that the Georgia
Florida Saw Mil Association is back
ing a fight in this state and Georgia
for the enforcement Of the vagranCy
laws in their most rigid Interpretation,
in all towns and cities of the two
states, says the Times-Union.
The Jacksonville Board Of Trade, and
the newspapers of this city have been
appealed to for aid in the fight. Reso-
buttons to this effect were passed at the
monthly meeting Of the association
held at the Continental hotel, Atlantic
Beach. yesterday at noon. The propo-
sition will be considered at a meeting
of the board of governors of the board
of trade at their next meeting-proba-
bly, next Tuesday. Just what action
will be taken is not known, but it is
believed that the support of the or
ganization Will be accorded the move
ment.
A steadily decreasing labor supply
has been a growing cause Of worry
with the sawmill men for some months
past. The shortage is estimated now
at 25 per cent and this will unQues
tionably be reduced to as much as so
per cent when the cotton fields with
their lure Of ready money and a merry
Christmas makes its annual draft upon
the negro population. The turpentine
men are feeling the shortage to an
even greater extent than the sawmill
men, though many Of the mills are
sustaining daily heavy losses from in
ability TO operate at full capacity. In
round figures that loss with the lum-
bermen will approximate more than
$4,000 monthly for the mills of the
state.
Conrad Talks.
Something must be done, and at
once" said President J. B. Conrad, of
the association. Florida has an eff
fective vagranCy law, but its enforce
ment has been spasmodic. If the Of
ficials Of the cities and counties will
begin arresting all negroes who have
no visible means Of support, and pun
ishing them heavily for failure to find
some legitimate means of earning
livelihood there will be a scampering
back to the mills, turpentine industry
and farms of able bodied men who are
now living from the kitchens of the
white men and by thieving, gambling
| and other unlawful methods in the
towns and cities. I have been told
that there are 1900 idle negro men in
the city Of Jacksonville The percent
age will probably hold good in proper
ton to the population in other towns
and cities of the state. The state
should compel them to contribute their
share Of work toward sustaining it's
industries"
The labor question was the chief
topic Of discussion at the meeting yes
terday at which a daily production of
nearly a million feet was represented.
The market was shown to be stronger
than it was sixty days ago in all grades
and classifications.
The headquarters of the association
will be moved to Jacksonville before
| the first OF August The offices Of the
| secretary will be in the Atlantic Ma
tional bank building. Secretary z. c.
| Harrell Will move his family from Tiff
ton within a few days. Three or four
| employees are required to transact the
! business of the organization.
Resolutions Adopted.
The resolution on the labor problem
as adopted at the meeting yesterday is
! as follows:
| Whereas from reports OF the mem
| bers Of the Georgia-Florida Saw Mill