American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-07-27
THREE DOLLARS ENOUGH
FOR FARM, SAYS ALFRED
Director Of Farm Markets Bureau
Makes Following Report on Labor
Conditions in State.

Farm hands are much in demand in
uearly all parts of the state. A con
siderable part Of this need is being .
met by the earnest cooperation Of the /
county agents with the farm markets /
department. In the majority Of cases /
the county agents are supplying need !
cd help in their respective counties
by drawing on the surplus they may
have or that may be found in adjoin-
ing counties, without being under the
necessity of applying to the farm mar
kets department.
Because Of the urgent need for farm
help, some labOrers have taken ad-
vantage of the farmers pressing
needs and have demanded a wage out
of all reason, and one the farmers can
i'll afford to pay. In many instances
f laborers have demanded S. per day
and their board, and when the farmer
was driven to the extremity of either
paying this price or letting his crops
spoil, there was but one alternative,
namely, pay the s..
Plan RuinOus.
On the other hand, some farmers
have become excited over the prospect
of losing their crops and have bid
against their fellow agriculturists, Of
fering almost any price to obtain help.
This is very unwise and works
hardship in the already difficult pro-
/. blem Of providing farm help. Many
idle men who would accept employ
ment 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.
t This is ruinous TO the farmer and the
4 interests of our state at large.
e Our farmers are willing to pay a
= suitable wage and in order that this
a wage may be paid on uniform basis,
r /. as state director Of farm markets,
r. take the liberty tc suggest that the
It and board in all farm work where a
1t mans strenuous labor was required
IS except perhaps in that of good and
experienced irrigators, where it should
l. probably be Soc per hour. This is
at sufficient i'm either case and all tha
conditions governing both the day la
= borer and the farmer warrant paying g
nj Some would reply, But the cost o
- living has so increased that l mus
90 have a higher wage" In nothing bu
= foods concerning the laborer) ha
- the cost materially advanced and IN
- farmer stands for that increase whe
"A he boards his help and he now Of
"a fers a wage of 100 per cent increas
49, over that paid one year ago, with q
!, assurance that his crop returns wi
l. exceed those of last year. There al
= Just as many men to be had at SO Z
there are at So. In either case we Wi
- be short handed. and man who
willing to do his part will do it faitl
-. - fully for SO, while the unwilling ma
who demands IS would not do an ho
-, est days work at any price.
No Place for Idle Men.
- The following, a most commendat
80 plan, has been adopted in a few
our counties, and would be a who
-. some remedy if applied to aggravi
- ing cases in every county: The cou
81 ty sheriff approaches idle men W
have no known employment and
fers them work himself or reque
OIL the idle to apply to the county age
neh AS evidence of his willingness
'ro- work he either obtains employing
Ign or a receipt from the county agent
ees' the effect that he has applied
md work and holds himself in readin
was TO accept such employment when p
be vided Ii this is not done Wit
the twenty-four hours, the vagrancy
How is enforced and the idler is put on
ort- rock pile or driven from the tow
TO prey on some other commuhit!
We have received many inquir
iCH. regarding bags, and we recomm'
the early purchase OF bags for ey
lday need the farmer may have OF tn
work Early and quantity buying by COOP
ings alton. if necessary. will save you M
.lege money. There is no present ind
Sep ton of a bag shortage, though pri
are high and may advance. The fl
nj. markets department will place buy
sson of car lots in touch with manu-
iod's turers if you cannot buy locally
sson days sack quotations are No. 1, S
ship wheat bags. guaranteed for wi
ster; sacks, sl2 per hundred; No. 2, S
by mill sacks. s1O.s5 per hundred; NJ
h.rnHraR