The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-04
LABOR Plan BY
GOVERNMENT Is
FOR LOCAL unit
Many Workmen Will Go In
to Shipyards, Thus Less
ening Supply

| Washington, June H-Under the gov
eminent plan for the organization of
farm labor. the details of which were
announced by the q. s. department of
agriculture today, provision is made
for nationwide cooperation in the
solution of the farm help problem.
| The work of organization already has
been started in about 40 states, and
it is expected that eventually every
community in the United States will
be reached. 1t is believed that the
resultant utilization of emergency la
Dor VIII begin to have an appreciable
effect on the farm labor situation be-
fore the season has far advanced.
Meanwhile, the immediate and acute
problem of supplying labor for the
| harvests, now beginning in the south
west, Is being handled, so far as the
United States governments services
are concerned, through the. existing
employment service of the u. s. de-
tinue to handle such problems of mass
mobilization under the new plan as it
has in the past.
Federal and State Co. operation.
The plan is based on close cooper
alton on the part Of the u. S. depart
ment Of agriculture and the u. s. De-
partment of labor with state commit
tees on national defense charged with
labor matters. with the state agricul-
tural colleges, with the county agents,
and with county and local or township
labor committees or representatives to
be established in every locality. The
department of agriculture will rep
resent the federal authorities in de-
termining farm labor needs and in
assisting in organizing all available
farm labor in the rural districts. The
u. s. department of labor will devote
its attention to organizing labor in ur-
ban communities and industrial re-
gions, and will cooperate with the
farm labor forces where necessary by
obtaining extra labor from the pop
ulous centers.
The plan provides for strictly local
handling of all labor problems that
can be adjusted locally. The funda-
mental unit Of the organization is the
community man" who with the as
sistance Of such committees as he
may appoint, canvasses his own neigh
borhood. finds out what farmers need
help. and what men are available for
supplying the local need, and effects
such adjustments as can be made To-
cally. If. after all local adjustments
have been made. there remains either
deficit or a surplus of labor, he re-
ports to the county man" whose bus
mess it is to effect adjustments be-
tween the several communities in his
county. The county man, in turn. re-
ports any deficit or surplus to the
state man." who canvasses the sit
uation for the state as a whole and re-
ports to the department Of agriculture,
which, in close cooperation with the
department of labor, is charged with
the distribution of mobile labor for the
country as a whole.
Thus each unit in the system acts
as a clearing house for its own ter
ritory, reporting to the units higher
up only when it needs help or has help
to offer. The plan provides that sup
Elemental reports shall be submitted
by each community man whenever
changes in the local situation make
desirable further adjustments that
can not be met with the material at
hand. or when surplus or labor de-
velops which he can not use.
Al great many retired farmers. of
whom there are 100000 in the country,
may be available for emergency SER
vice under this plan of farm labor
mobilization. The plans contemplate
also the drawing of emergency labor
from the cities under the immediate
direction Of the department of labor,
the eHeCLlVe uLlllZaIlOn OIL college, STU
dents and school boys, and, II neces-
sary the assignment of volunteer wo-
men and girls to rural tasks connect
ed particularly with the feeding and
caring for harvest hands or other ex-
ira labor or with farm canning or
drying of surplus perishable products.
In other words, the plan contemplates
supplying assistance not merely for
field operations, but to farm women
during their season of heaviest do
nestle duties. .