The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-09-28
ASK EXEMPTION
OF FARM LABOR
Representatives Of Two Million
Organized Farmers Meet Pres
ident at Washington.
MEMORIAL IS PRESENTED
Declares Agriculture Is the Only Great
Industry Now Undermined as
Compared With the Standards
Existing Before the War.

Existing Before the War.
Washington, Sept 25-Representa-
tives of more than two million organ
tied farmers met President Wilson at
the White House and discussed with
him the methods of determining ex-
emption of farm labor In connection
with the draft. The farmers We're ac-
companied by a large assemblage OF
senators, congressman and prominent
l persons from various states who gath
cred here TO present their case to the
President. The farmers presented
memorial drawn by the federal board
| OF farm organizations, federation OF
! national farm associations, which was
! formed shortly after the outbreak OF
! our war with Germany, as means OF
! giving the farmer voice In national
/ affairs. The board proposes TO do for
! farmers what the American federation
+ of labor does for workers and the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States does for organized business IN
terests. Joining With the board were
the legislative committee OF the ma
tional grange. The memorial follows;
MIR. President: There is an unprece-
dented shortage Of agricultural labor.
| Because of II the farmers of the United
States fear,they may not be able TO do
as they desire to do. their full share In
the great common task of winning the
war. For this reason the federal board
of farm organizations. speaking for the
farmers Of America, has asked permis-
sion to lay certain facts before you.
I Agriculture isithe only great industry
now undermined as compared with
the standards existing before the way.
I Many industries want additional help.
! Agriculture actually has less.
Z THE shortage of farm labor Is cut
: ting down the productive power of
4 American farms. Transportation com
panies, contractors. and industrial
( plants offer for labor prices higher by
far than any farmer can pay and still
produce food for the consumer at rea-
sonable rates.
is Skilled Occupation.
( Farming is o highly skilled occupa-
, ton. Trained farm labor cannot be re-
placed to advantage by unframed men.
( women. and boys. Furthermore, the
| common necessity to make the farm
( laborer, whoever he may be, member
I of the family circle, still further re-
stricts the availability OF strangers
1 The return to the farmer is far below
that to men equally skilled In any
other occupation. while the special
risks he runs from weather insects,
and diseases are greater than theirs
by far. Therefore men who leave the
farm seldom return TO 1t.
eve do not approve of class exemp-
lions from the draft. But we under
stand that 1t is the chief purpose of a
selective draft to keep those Industries
which are most essential to the win
ming of the war manned TO the point of
highest efficiency, ut least until such
time as the need Of men at the front
shall compel shortage In every line
of work. In our Judgment the present
method of executing the law viii re-
suit In greatly reducing the productive
power of our farms just at the time
when an increase In that power is the
one most essential condition of victory.
AS you yourself have said. upon the
farmers of this country, therefore, In
large measure, rest the fate of the war
and the fate Of the nations
.Tf the selectlve service act is based
upon the desire of the government to
put each man where he may serve his
country best then the administration
of the act should not limit exemption
to those who apply for 1t, as 1t does
now. Many farmers who should be
exempt refuse TO apply. Many young
men voluntarily enlist in the army who
can serve most usefully elsewhere. We
ourselves know Of many young farmers
who have left the farm for the army.
to the loss of the nation as whole.
Mere exemption or discharge Of skilled
farmers from the draft would not meet
the case. They should be required to
remain In productive labor on the farm
during the period for which their ex-
emption may be necessary.
Farmers Answered Call.
because the world is short Of food,
the government has asked the farmers
as a patriotic service to increase their
product In answer to the call, the
farmers, have done, and will do their
best. But already large proportion
of The farms are undermined, and
the process of depletion proceeds I'M
checked. America is making the same
mistake that England made, instead of
learning from her experience. We be-
lieye that 1t is against the national In
terest and safety, as well as against
the purpose of the law and the govern
ment, to let this drain go on.
aWhat we seek is a more perfect adj
ministration of the purpose of the act :
to protect the essential occupations.
we ask you to see to 1t that farm Ia
borers and farm owners may be kept
or placed where they may serve the