Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-03
SIMMONS DISTURBED
BY SCARCITY OF LABOR
Subjects to Como Before
Congress-.
CURTIS SUGGESTS REMEDY
Wishes to Provide Community Col
onlzation Not Alone for Deepen
dents OF Soldiers, but for Soldiers
Coming Home After the War.

WASHINGTON. December 2.-Devel-
opment OF the land is one Of the great
subjects which will be discussed during
the coming Congress.
Senator Simmons. OF North Carolina,
himself a practical farmer. Is disturbed
because Of the scarcity OF labor. Like
many others. he wishes a remedy. Sem
ator Curtis. OF Kansas. suggests one.
II not for the present. at least for the
future. lie wishes to provide COM
munity colonization. not alone for the
dependents of soldiers, but for soldiers
coming home after the war.
Labor to-day IL rushing to tho cities
and the factories because OF high
wages. Also the draft has drawn many
from tho folds. All over the nation
farmers, stimulated by the urging OF
the government to full production. now
find themselves unable to harvest all
Of thei- crops. And this is at time
when the conservation and production
of food is highly emphasized. 1t was
this condition that Senator Simmons
spoke of to-day upon his return to
Washington.
Something will have to BIO done" no
said. Intensive cultivation might
solve the problem for this would re-
quire only the Same labor upon more
limited area. Again, the women may
In time work the farms. just as they
do throughout Europe.
This has not been full crop year.
because OF weather conditions. But the
next crop may be a bumper. And II
labor conditions continue as at present,
what will become OF the harvcsts?
LANDLORDS CANNOT
FIND TENANTS FOR LAND
"As II Is now. In my State. some
landlords tell me they cannot find ten
ants to rent to. Tho labor has gone to
the cities or has been absorbed In the
machinery Of war.
"I do not know what the govern
ment can do. Whether under tho draft
law men might be taken TO work the
fields, am not certain. ! doubt u,
~ tho farms were private enterprises.
The argument might be used that pro-
duction OF food was war necessity.
But | should think the government
would have TO exercise q control over
the farm"
Senator Curtis's plan for community
colonization will be presented in the
form Of a bill he introduced last year.
THE whole world" he said to-day,
"gtopes for the proper method of get
ting the land into the ownership OF
the people. Britain Is hungry because
this has not been done. and realizes
that returning soldiers Will not toler-
ate maintenance Of shooting estatc8
while they have no homes. Russia Is
In revolution with this condition as
one of the matnsprlngs. There is an
unrest in this country that will not
down. an unrest that is unaware OF
it's own cause.
the conversion OF the dissatisfied in
dividual into a home-owncr. Those
who own homes are not aGitatorS: they
have something to lose, and therefore
nre not for uphcavals or the torch
The drift to the cities, the tendency
toward tenantry, the ownership OF land
in large tracts by absent individuals
have the most dangerous evidences Of
trouble ahead that have shown them
selves in this country"
COOPERATIVE BUYING
AND SELLING EXERCISED
Tho Kansas Senator supports the
Forward to the Land League which,
buys large tract. divides 1t into small
farms. with community center, and
Allows twenty years Tor payment. CO.
operative buying and selling is exer-
cised. and the new farmer taught how
to farm.
with 100000 men to come home
from the war each should be offered
such a farm IL he wants it," said Sena-
tor Curtis.
perhaps some such plan for fnanc-
ing these colonies" he continued, will
be worked out as In the Federal aid
road act. each State desiring the
colonies. doing its share These SOL
diers and their families would demon
strate the best standard of rural COM
munity building through government
aid. And private capital would see the
wisdom OF adopting this plan. II the
government is entering into many lines
OF business. is not an expenditure of
money creating innumerable owners OF
email farms as wise an investment as
ships. since home ownership is the one
thing that steadies the ship OF slater"
Members of the Senate Agricultural
Committee already are said to be con-
sidering the matter OF bringing the
labor back to the farms. Senator Gore,
OF Oklahoma. chairman, is much in
terested in the matter.