The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-18
THE a AS KIN LIE TT
THE. MAN AND The JOB
==HAIRiVEsT HANDS.

HE MAN Ai
II AlRV.
BY Fredcr
In that belt OF grain producing
states that lies between Texas and
Canada there VIII be needed this sum
mer for q short ume 100000 work
ing men who WI III have to move on
fagain 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
irspenfng Of other crops. There are
| fruit crops to be gathered, hops to be
picked. cotton to be brought to the
gin The manner in which this sea
sonai labor may be s. pplied without
its being stranded when the work is
completed, is one or the knotty prob
lens which the federal department OF
labor Is attempting to solve
The problem. il is hardest IN the
Great Plain states The resident
population OF those states is sufficient
to carry on the work on its farms
except at harvest time The first or
June IS the seasonf or cutting grain
and threshing it in Oklahoma. It is
two weeks later il Kansas, and does
not come IN the Dakotas until the
middle OF July. There are sturdy
farmers and their sons. who, year
after year start with the harvests in
the south and work north with the
season. They get three 81 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
laborers from the outside. Last year.
for Instance, Kansas asked the fed
| eral government to send it 10000
men, Missouri called for 100000 and
other states for similar numbers. To
supply great numbers Of men for Al
short tinle--that was the difficult
problem that the government attempt
ed 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 IL was to considerable extent
successful; in addition to which it
gained some valuable experience.
The call last year came from tho
state labor commissions and It was
with them that the federal govern
ment did business. In response to
their pleas for help the government
sent out placards to postmasters In
adjacent states who were instructed
10 bulletin them. These placards set.
forth that harvest hands were wanted
in the states named, and the points
at which applicants should apply
We're enumerated. They stated tho
nature Of the work, the wages paid,
and reclted the fact that the harvest
season Was but about six weeks long
lnsseslven localities. Those seeking
this sort OF work were, warned that
there would be no local employment
when the harvest was over.
The result of this governmental
campaign for. HAIRY est hands was that
laborers We're abundant. IN the grain
states and that the crops were gath
cred with great expedition. There
was. however, a somewhat sorroWfJ1I
aftermath. Many or the flaborers who
followed the harvests had no place IN
particular to go after they were over
5IheF spent their earnings and be-
came stranded The situation was mn
fortunate for them and for the COM
munihes in which they were placed.
There was further trouble due to
the tact that, when a postmaster puts
up a placard. he is likely to let It'll
stay up indefinitely. So lit happened
that, along toward Christmas, there.
We're still displayed III many post Of
noes announcements to the effect that
harvest hands We're needed in the
Middle West. Many of the urlwary
saw these signs, neglected to note the
fled dates, and wrote or actually
Went after the jobs. Their expert
ences We're not happy. ye
The department or labor has been
comforting with the state commits
sioners upon the problem Of handling
the harvest hands after the season
Isl over. The concensus Of opinion
is that not more than 10 or 10 per
cent Of these men can be given per-
nnanent employment The problem
citing them out of the communi-!
tiles after the season is over is as vet
|unsolved. Great care is to be taken
however. to warn them that there is
!. labor only during the ha1yests. The
general labor information that the
IgoEernm ent is just nov gathering
| may also be sufficient BY tina time.
SO that it will be possible to direct
/ the harvest hands to- points where
! there are other demands for men Of
their kind. s53
Rotary. Wilson has, however, an
#entlrelys different scheme for solving
the problem OF seasonal labor and
one Which has q very pretty story
back of it. The secretary was orig
finally a coal miner. He had difficult
ties in that line Of endeaFor, how
ever. which led to his being black
listed. This made it impossible for
him to getEwork In the Goa mines Of