St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-04-16

MAINTAINING II.
SHORTAGE OF FARM LABOR
Policy of Commissioner of Agricul-
ture to Find Means to Relieve
Situation
1t is a matter of common knowl-
edge that the farmers of Vermont
in common with those of other states
are seriously handicapped by a
shortage of reliable farm labor. AL
though statistics show that the wag-
es paid farm labor in the United
States are now SO per cent higher
than they we're during the eighties
and about So per cent higher than
they were in 1894, the supply of
farm help is yet far short of the
demand. The result is that crops
are now actually lost because help
is scarce and many of our farmers,
especially those who own their
farms, prefer to do small business,
utilizing their own labor and that
of their families, rather than to ex-
tend their business and depend up
on unreliable help, which would
mean practically that the burden of
the work would fall upon the owner
in seasons of rush. Real estate
agents report a number of farms for
sale in this state, the principal rea-
son given for the disposal of which
is that the owners cannot secure re-
liable labor with which to work
them.
Other states have given attention
to a solution of this problem. Mas
sachusetts and Connecticut maintain
employment bureaus. The secretary
of the state board of agriculture of
Kansas carries on campaign of adj
vertising in large cities during har-
vest seasons and thereby obtains a
number of hands for the securing of
the crops of Kansas farms. The
department of agriculture of the
state of New York maintains en-
ployment bureaus in New York city
and Albany. By means of these
bureaus yearly average of nearly
5000 men has been secured for
the farmers of New York state
through the past eight years. Com
missioner of Agriculture E. S. Brig
ham thinks the time has now come
when the department of agriculture
of the state of Vermont
may well give attention to this prob
lem. Although the funds at the
disposal of this department which
may be devoted to this purpose are
not sufficient to give an extended
service, yet the commissioner has de-
cided to open farm labor employ
ment bureau in connection with his
Office. The plan is to allow all
farmers who are in need of farm la
Dor to apply to this bureau stating
fully their wants, kind of farming
fhnU a in 6n
are willing to pay, etc. The plan
for securing labor is two-fold; first
to enable the laborers in our towns
and cities of Vermont to get in touch
with local employers, it is proposed
to allow laborers to register at
this bureau stating their experience,
wages they desire, etc. Then it is
proposed to issue circulars revised
from time to time putting registered
employers and laborers in touch with
each other.
The second plan to enlarge the
labor supply is to try to attract la
Dor from outside of the state The
most promising source of supply is
the newly arrived immigrants who
come to this country in great num-
bers every year, a large percentage
of them having been engaged in
farm labor in their home countries.
During the past month Commits
sioner Brigham has been in CORES
pondence with the bureau of i'm
migration and with number of So
cieties which are engaged in the
work of getting positions for inn
migrants. To employers who are
in need of farm labor and who wish
to employ immigration laborers ap-
plication blanks will be furnished
SO that they may be forwarded to
the proper immigrant officials and
officers of various societies who will
do their best to supply the demand
from this state.
Mr.. Brigham says: I'VE must rea-
lie that in pursuing this policy we
are in competition with other states
who are engaged in the same work
and that the greater amount Of
money which they have appropriated
for this purpose and which enables
them to have a representative at
the immigrant stations, gives them
an advantage in selecting men of
the most desirable type. Since we
must take men that are sent us by
the various organizations and socie- |
ties we must not expect too much.
Again not as much should be expect
ed of these newly arrived immi- |
grants, who are strangers to our
people and our ways of doing, as
is expected from our native labor. |
Our people should study the habits |
of the immigrants and should take |
pains to make conditions as pleas
ant for them as possible. 1t will |
make for the success of this new |
if the farmers who live |
in the same neighborhoods will |
combine and try to get immigrants |
Of the same nationality so that they |
may have the opportunity to asso-
ciate with people of their own kind.
''It is said that nearly all of the
of the most desirable
type arriving in New York know in
advance just where they are going.
Friends or relatives have settled in
some parts of this country, have
Drospered, and have sent back home
for them Our problem, then, is,
at first, to show these people that