Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-18
son attempt to bring this arrangement
about on an
Federal Government experimental
to Try Out This Plan. D IT. IL
BY Pop.

| employers OF LABOR 1T conveniently
located POINTS if they will cooperate
with the government by allowing their
men certain periods of leave of alb
sence at the time of harvest wherever
there is found a willingness to grant
these leaves without endangering the
standing Of the men in their regular
employment representatives of the gov
eminent will attempt to organize what
they term vacation clubs" Certain
numbers of men whose fitness for har-
vest work is obvious will be asked to
3oln these clubs. They will be organ
lzed into excursions and the best rates
0pta1na Bile will be secured for them
Iney VIII go to points where 1t is DOS
lively known there is work for them
Ihere they will be employed for two
weeks, month, six weeks When the
| harvest is over they will return to the
mills or mines from which thew came
and to their former jobs
There are material difficulties in the
way of working this plan under pres
ent conditions. The railroads. for in
stance, are anxious to grant very low
rates for the transportation of these
harvest hands. They are unable, I'M
der the law, to do SO. A rate may not
be granted to one class of individuals
and denied to another. If the distance
to be Travelled is great. all profits in
such short-time work are eaten up by
the railroad fare. Yet the railroads
would be willing, if they were allowed
| to grant very favorable rates to har-
vest hands. They are anxious to get
the crops gathered that they may haul
| them. The Department of Labor, if its
experiments are successful. proba bly,
Will ask the next Congress for special
legislation that will allow special rates
to harvest hands,
The beneficial results that would ac-
crue from a system of this sort are re-
garded as being
BENEFICIAL Results many and va
Many and Varied. Mace a, IN ss .ne mrs.
Wilson is convinced that the workmen
would regard 1t as a most pleasure BILE
vacation. He calls attention to the
fact that most vacationers work harder
when away from their tasks than when
performing them. They row boats
climb mountains. go tramping 1t would
seem, therefore. that vacation should
De defined as a change of work. Par
Ties of factory workers proba bly would
regard two weeks in the harvest fields
as great lark. They would return to
their ordinary tasks much benefited.
The educational effect upon the work.
err would be great. He would be given
an opportunity to see a world that was
entirely new to him. He would be
given new interest in life Great
numbers of workmen have the idea
that they would like to get back to
the soil Yet they know nothing of
how to accomplish this end. Here they
are given an opportunity to learn and
to determine whether they would like
the life. Many of these men have money
IN the bank. 1t Is recognized that one
OF the greatest of national needs is
that the tide should turn back to the
land. 1t Is reasonable to suppose that
these harvest time vacations would lea d
many men to farming.
But there are still other classes of
workers to whom the federal govern
ment is this year to extend more de-
tailed aid in securing work in the har-
vest fields. There are two very large
classes whose vacation seasons come
at harvest time. These are the teach
ers of the nation and the youngsters
who are being taught. Teachers are
are thousands of young men who are
working their way through schools
The government hopes to have the op-
portunities for employment SO we'll in
hand by the time the present school
terms end that it will be able to tell
these two classes where they may go
for immediate employment. The har-
vest fields offer good chances for saw
ing considerable sums of money be-
cause there is no expense for board or
lodging when so employed, and the
rather liberal ging about
$3.50 a day-are entirely clear The
experience of getting close to the great
productive forces of the nation is re-
garded as a most valuable one to either
of these classes of workers.