The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-08-02
HANDS IN
DEMAND IN IDAHO
LABORERS TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF FARMERS PRESSING NEEDS
AND DEMANDS HIGHER WAGE.
State Director of Farm Markets Sug-
gests That Wage Be Paid on Uniform
Basis and That ldler Should Not
Eat Fruit of Laborer.

Boise. Idaho.=Farm Markets Bulle-
tin No. II has been issued by Harvey
Alfred. director Of the Farm Markets
department, from which the following
of interest to Idaho farmers is taken ;
Farm hands are much in demand IN
nearly all parts of the state. A consid-
by the earnest cooperation of the
county agents with the Farm Markets
department. In the majority of cases
the county agents are supplying need
ed help in their respective counties by
drawing on the surplus they may have
or that to be found in adjoining coun-
ties, without being under the neces-
sity of applying to the Farm Markets
department.
Because of the urgent need for farm
help, some laborerS have taken advaD.
tage OF the farmers pressing needs
and have demanded a wage out of all
reason, and one the farmers can i'll af-
ford to pay. In many instances labor
ers have demanded So per day and
tlACAA DOAAhs 4lh Al1A lllt -
driven to the extremity of paying this
price or letting his crops spoil, there
was but one alternative, namely, pay
the So.
On the other hand, some farmers
have become exercised over the pros
pect of losing their crops and have bid
against their fellow a~griculturists, Of
fering almost any price to obtain help.
This is very unwise and works a hard
ship in the already difficult problem
of providing farm help. Many idle men
who would accept employment at a
reasonable figure hear and read of
these extreme prices being offered and
refuse to work unless they, too, can
obtain the same wage. This is ruinous
20 the farmer and the interests of our
state at large.
Our farmers are willing to pay n
suitable wage and in order that this
wage may be paid on a uniform basis,
l, as state director of Farm Markets,
take the liberty to suggest that the
uniform wage should be 3Oc per hour
and board in all farm work where a
mans strenuous labor was required,
except perhaps in that Of good and ex-
perienced irrigators, where it should
probably be 35c per hour. This is suf-
fcient in either case, and all that con
ditions governing both the day laborer
and the farmer warrant paying. Some
would reply, But the cost of living
has so increased hat l must have a
hf.~I-. ..~a.w. ~ To- .-kI.A- A..k Ell
Concerning the laborer) has the cost
materially advanced, and the farmer
stands for that increase when he
boards his help and he now offers a
wage of 1000 increase over that paid
n year ago, with 10 assurance that
his crop returns will exceed those of
last year. There are just as many
men to be had at SO as there are at So.
In either case we will be short-handed,
and a man who is willing to do his
part will do it faithfully for SO, while
the unwilling man who demands 50
would not do an honest days work at
any price.
Our nation confronts the most seri-
problem OF our history, and every
human being in our land should do his
full part. l feel that 'the idler should
not eat the fruits of the laborer," and
a man who can and will not work
should not eat.
The following, a most c~ommendable
plan, has been adopted in a few OF our
counties, and would be a wholesome
remedy II applied to a%ggravating cases
in every county The county sheriff ap-
proaches idle men who have no known
employment and offers them work him
self or requests the idle to apply to
the county agent. AS evidence of his
willingness to work he either obtains
employment or a receipt from the
county agent to the effect that he has
applied for work and holds himself in
readiness to accept such employment
when provided. If this Is not done
within twenty-four hours, the
law is enforced and the id1er IS put
On the rock pile or driven from the
town-to prey on some other commun-
ity.
We have received many inquiries re-
garding bags, and we recommend the
early purchase of bags for every need
the farmer may have of them. Early
and quantity buying will save you
much money. There is no present in
dication of a bag shortage, though
prices are high and NAV advance