Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-07-30
ARMY CLEANS UP
OKLAHOMA CROPS
Seat Industrial Gathering Har-
vests Big Wheat Yield.
HIGH CLASS FARM HANDS.

Thirteen Thousand Men From Many
Parts Of United States Dispatched
into Oklahoma-They Bring Forth
Wheat Crop Of $So,ooo.ooo and Dat
Crop of $4,000. 900.
men from many parts Of the United
States We're dispatched into the harvest
fields OF Oklahoma during the first
three weeks In June by the Oklahoma
department Of labor and record
breaking handling of the wheat aud
cat crops resulted.
Never before in the southwest was
such large body of lahoring men mo
hilt2ed and dispatched TO their places
of labor in So short u timC and with
little friction. Men covered freight
trains like hlackhirdS. They tumhlrd
of hN the score nj towns along the
line and were picked up 10y wagons
and hurried into the fields and the
whole state was cleaned up like magic.
Two important hindranrcs were en-
rountercd by the generals uf the de
partmcnt OF labor, At Enid large
contingent of the assembled lahorers
We're influenced by the Industrial
Workers of the World. who persuaded
number OF them to hold out for
higher wages than those offered by
farmers and $3.50 n day with board
and sleeping place. The other hin
drance was by farmers along the rail
roads running west from Enid. who.
Ignoring the carefully laid plans OF the
department, picked off men ms they
passed along on their way to other
points to which they were consigned In
filling orders for men regularly filed
with the department.
William q. Ashton, assistant com
missioner of labor, who directed all
the movements OF the campaign over
came the influence of the |. w. W
workers at Enid within few hours
The men who had been pulled away
We're promised two meals day and
other considerations while they await
ed disposition under higher wage
terms. In order that this scheme
might he carried out the leaders were
compelled to appear before the county
commissioners and ask that provisions
be supplied the mon, majority OF
whom We're without money.
simultaneously Ashton went before
the commissioners and explained that
his department had places for 1900
men Mt once at wages of 81 to $3.50
day. The commissioners refused to
make an appropriation for food, and
the ranks OF the strikers soon dwin-
died. That same day the rebels were
pacitied and We're sent out on trains
into the fields
Enid was made the distributing point
OF most of the northwest counties. and
about 1900 men were handled out OF
that place. Enid is the seat OF II state
employment agency and the largest
city in the whole wheat belt. Bust
ness became so heavy at this office,
however, that other Offices were open
ed nearer the wheat areas OF the far.
ther northwest, one Mt Ava and one ut
Woodward. In each of these towns
about $500 men were handled.
son opened the department OF labor
had learned the opening dates in the
several subdivisions of the wheat belt.
and men and boys were assembled nc
cordingly Representatives OF the de.
partment visited every county In the
wheat belt and ascertained the mp
proximate number OF men that would
I. a..
tanned by personal interviews, by tele
phone conversation and through com
mercial organizations. The newspa
pers took up the call and spread II
into every county, and the United
States department Of labor placed 1t IN
conspicuous places in many parts Of
the country.
Assistant Commissioner Ashton es-
Inmates that the entire campaign cost
the department only 800. and the men
harvested wheat crop valued ut $50.
10000 and an oat crop valued Mt $l5.-
OO0,OOO
business men gave up their work
to assist us. says Mr.. Ashton. Bank
ers, merchants, editors. mmbernen.
real estate dealers and others ooperat.
ed with us In every possible way"
The eagerness with which harvest
hands were gathered W by farmers
along the railroads is illustrated by
Commissioner Ashton.
There were frequent scrambles
among farmers to get hold Of the men
unloaded" he says. This was trui
especially at Woodward, n far western
POINT, which our men reached late.
saw several times one farmer trying
to entice Iaborcrs away from another
farmer. One Of them was wise 10 the
ways ~ the hotel porter and he held
his men by carrying their grips 10 hie
wagon as he ran gauntlet ~ farmers
trying to grab the prey.
Farmers near Enid were forced 10
~ee hundreds Of men 20 past their
fields on their way 10 western points
and they were late iu getting their
,rrIF ~ Of q .