The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-04-24
ABLE NoN-PRoPUCERs

Out on the farms our agriculturists
are deploring the shortage of help.
Yet we have a vast army Of sound and
able bodied men performing useless
tasks. Take the book agent for 'ex-
ample. Any person who wants or
needs book can o1der it of the near
est news dealer, or visit the nearest
store, or write to any publisher. He
can do this in much less time than 1t
takes to deal with a loquacious book
agent, from whom one usually buys
what he never knew he needed, or
something which he rarely needs after
he gets.
Other house to house agents and
peddlers come in the same class
There is small army Of men picking
up a precarious living selling patent
household appliances and clothing
from door to door. Many of these
things are absolute frauds. Others If
useful can be bought at the nearest
estore. You have to pay the agent
very high commission, probably
third on an average. 1t is wasteful
absolutely on-productive.
And yet we are conducting war
with the greatest military power on
earth and there is question II we
are able to feed ourselves and our al
lies on account Of shortage of labor.
It would seem funny if it were not so
deplorable.
The American people will not toler-
ate these conditions long under the
strain Of war. If necessary they can
require men who wish to enter useless
trades to secure permits. No licenses
are needed for peddlers, book, agents,
hand organ players and a thousand
other useless callings If these futile
trades could be closed, perhaps some
Of these industrial slackers could be
persuaded to help feed the people.
The exhaustion of cold storage pro-
ducts indicates that the country must
take long and affectionate farewell
Of those 1907 eggs on which it has so
long subsisted.
While our enemies are plotting how
they can invade US, our politicians are
plotting how they can get reelected.
The city man who removes to the
country has an awfully hard time for
a while not being walked up in the
dead Of night by trolley cars and ice
carts.
Another way in which some pepole
1GGT Lncy are u0lplnS OUT Lie SOT-
eminent an awful lot is by criticising
anyone who is trying to do anything.
The people along the Atlantic coast
are reminded that it is not necessary
to call out the Home Guards whenever
the railroad makes noise like firing
by throwing track ties out on the en-
bankment-
Many people don't want to go to
work on farms, because the chances
for acquiring nervous prostration out
in the country are so limited.
Many men who are fearful Of get
ting shot if they enlist, entertain no
dread of getting half shot.
While the Congressman are dilly-
dallying, they should reflect that they
were sent to Washington more to pro-
tect the country than to protect their
own fences.
Those million men who were going
to spring to arms overnight will have
to spring some distance to- the factor
les where the DELAYED orders for those
arms are still untitled.
A man who delivered munitions to
the enemy would @be called a traitor
and driven out of the country, while
man who takes away food from
ourselves and our allies by boosting
prices is still received in the best So
ciety.
It is advisable for these amateur
gardeners to wait at least "a ours be-
fore digging up their seed to see If it
has sprouted.