The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-24
In the Central Western States
for Bumper Crop.
KANSAS CAN USE 10000
PIacards in POstoffices Brine
Help.
LabOrers Are q Problem After
Harvest Is Over.

Washington. D. c., April 24.-In the
great belt of grain producing states in
the west there will be needed this
summer for a short time 100000
workingmen who will have to move on
again when the fall comes. They are
necessary that the crops may be har-
vested There are other sections
where there will be great temporary
needs for labor at the time of the rip
ening of other crops. There are fruit
crops to be gathered. hops to be
picked, cotton to be brought to the
gin, etc. The manner in which this
seasonal labor may be supplied with
out it's being stranded when the work
is completed is one of the knotty prob
lens which the federal department of
labor is attempting to solve.
The problem is hardest in the great
plains states. The resident population
of those states is sufficient to carry on
the work of it's farms except at har-
vest time. The LIST of June is the sea-
son for cutting grain and threshing it
in Oklahoma. 1t is two weeks later
in Kansas, and does not come in the
Dakotas until the middle of July.
There are sturdy farmers and their
the harvest in the south and work
north with the season. They get three
or four months work by knowing just
how to play the game. But aside from
these, it is necessary that the grain
states should get great numbers of la
borers from the outside.
Last year, for instance, Kansas
asked the federal government to send
1T 10000 men, Missouri called for 3d.
900 and other states for similar num-
bers. To supply great numbers of
men for a short time-that was the
difficult problem that the government
attempted to handle.
The youthful department of labor
made almost its initial experiment as
an employment agency when it last
year attempted to fill this order. Yet
- - Ii
cessful; in addition to which it gained
some valuable experience.
The call last year came from the
state labor commissioners, and it was
with them that the federal depart
ment did business. In response to
their pleas for help the government
sent out p1acards to postmasters in
adjacent 7tates who were instructed to
bulletin them. These placards set
forth that harvest hands were wanted
in the states named and the points at
which applicants should apply were
enumerated. They stated the nature
OF the work, the wages paid and re-
cited the fact that the harvest season
was but about six weeks long in given
localities. Those seeking this sort of
work were warned that there would
be no local employment when the har-
vest was over.
The result of this government cam
pa1gn for harvest hands was that la
borers were abundant in the grain
states ana that the crops were gath
cred with great expedition. There
was, however, a reaction after the
crops were put in. Many of the la
borers who followed the harvests had
no place in particular to go after they
were over. They spent their earnings
and became stranded. The situation
was unfortunate for them, and for the
communities in which they were
placed.
There was further trouble due to
the fact that. when postmaster puts
up placard, he is likely to let it
stay up indefinitely. So it happened
that, along toward Christmas there
were still displayed in many postof-
hces announcements to the effect that
harvest hands were needed in KAN
sas and other middle western states
Many of the unwary saw these signs
neglected to note the specified dates
and wrote or actually went after the
jobs. Their experiences were not