Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-27
The Farm Labor Army
BIZ Frederic J. Hasktn

Washington, D. C., June 24-There are 700
street car employees in Boston, who have had ex.
perience in farm work, and have agreed to spend
their vacations working for farmers in the sur
rounding country.
This is one result of the Department of Agri-
cultures campaign to make up the shortage in
farm labor so that the United States can pro-
duee maximum crops this year. The Boston car
companies co-operated by listing all Of their EN-
ployes finding out what farm experience they
had had, and agreeing to give each man who was
willing to do farm work his two weeks vacation
whenever the department wanted him. Thus ,4OO
weeks OF hrst-cass help were made available for
the Massachusetts, farmers.
The plan for supplying the farmers with labor
involves close cooperation between the Depart
ment OF Agriculture, the Department of Labor,
and state agricultural colleges, and other state
agencies. The system is represented by man
in every. community who is usually pubic
spirited farmer; man in every county, generally
one of the county agents of the department;
and state agent who may be connected with the
State Agricultural college or may be sent out
by the department. farmer who wants help
will apply to the community agent, or the agent
supply the demand he passes the order up to the
county agent, who in turn may give it to the
state agent if he has not the labor on hand.
In the same way, those who wish to do farm
work apply to the agency nearest to them, and
they will be placed as near home as possible.
The agents compile lists of rural and village
people who are willing to do farm work, making
appeal to classes who are especially suited or
available Thus about million high school and
college boys have been listed. They are between
10 and 20 years Of age, and a large percentage of
them have had experience in farm work. Some
critics to the contrary Notwithstanding, the farm
ers find this sort of labor very desirable. Even
college and school boys who have had no expe-
rience on farms do very well for harvesting work,
especially picking apples and digging potatoes.
As they are paid by the piece for this work, the
farmer does not lose anything by reason of their
lack of skill while the workers, if industrious,
can make from 81 to s. day.
Another class listed is that of retired farmers,
of whom 100000 have agreed to take up the hoe
again. About half Of these men are under so
years of age, and perfectly capable of doing a
good days work Most of them are landowners,
and many of them will play hired man to their
own tenants.
When the Department of Agriculture is un-
able to find enough labor to supply the demand,
the Department Of Labor supplements its efforts
through its elaborately organized employment
bureau service. In New England, especially, the
Department OF Labor is the mainstay OF the sys-
tenn,
One of the most important parts Of the work
Is to induce the farmers to make known their
needs at the earliest possible dates. Large post
ers printed in red and black are being posted all
over the country, urging the farmers to notify
the county agent how many men they will need
and when If farmer is going to need ten men
for ten days in August to pick tomatoes, and
will notify the agent now, he has an excellent
chance to get them, but if he waits till the to-
matos are ripe, he is apt to lose part of the crop
II ;c a ruro,,s fort hat ;,efo tha ,ap
regards the farmer and his hired man as over
worked drudges, so the rural dweller pities the
city man his hard lot. A couple of sportsmen last
winter stopped overnight at farm in Tidewater,
Virginia. The farmer and his three sons cuti-
vated several hundred acres and fshed with
seine and trap net besides. But next day they
took their shotguns and went hunting with the
city men. They explained that they had plenty
Of time on their hands. All the crops were in;
their ''live boxes" were full of fish which they
were holding until the price should reach top
notch. There was nothing to do but feed the
live stock every morning and read the market
quotations in the Baltimore papers. The rest
of the time they visited among the neghbors,
went duck hunting or played their musical instru-
mcnts of which they had an astonishing assort-
ment
"I wouldn't live in the city" said one of the
young men. "'The city people. have. to work
every day or else quit eating | don't mind work
ing hard when work, but want some time for
recreation"
So'maybe there are two sides to the question
At present the labor situation on the farm is
looking up, but there are still places where help
is greatly needed especially in the middle west
II you want to do your bit by becoming farm
hand, apply to the employment bureau of the
Department of Labor which is nearest your home