South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-23
WILL SOLVE FARM
LABOR PROBLEMS
governmental Departments
Plan Organization for Dis
tributiOn of Help.

Under the government plan for
the organization Of farm labor. the
details of which have just been an
aounced by the United states de-
partment of agriculture, provision
is made for nationwide coopera-
ton i'm the solution of the farm
help problem. The work Of or
sanization already has been started
in about 30 states. and il is ex-
pected that eventually every COM
munity IN the United States will he
reached. II is believed that the re-
sultant utilization of emergency
labor viii begin 10 have an appre-
ciable effect on me farm-labor
situation before the season has far
advanced. Meanwhile the immedi-
ate and acute problem Of supplying
la Dor for the harvests. now begin
ming in the southwest, is being
handled. so far as the United States
governments services are concern
ed. through the existing employ
ment service of the United states
department of labor, which Will
continue to handle such problems Of
mass mobilization under the new
plan as it has in the past
Fedora! and state Cooperation.
The plan is based on close CO
operation on the part of the United
States department of agriculture
and the United states department
of labor with state committees on
national defense charged with labor
matters, with the state agricultural
colleges. with the county agents,
anG with county and local or town
ship labor committees or repre-
sentatives 10 be established in every
locality The department of agri-
culture will represent the federal
authorities in determining farm
labor needs and in assisting in or
eanizine all available farm labor in
the rural districts. The department
of labor will devote its attention 10
Organizing labor. in urban commun-
tiles and industrial regions. and will
cooperate with the farm-labor
forces where necessary by obtaining
extra labor from the populous CEN
tiers
The plan provides for strictly
local handling of all labor prob
lens that can he adjusted locally.
The fundamental unit of the
organization is the community
man" who. with the assistance of
such committees as he may appoint,
canvasses his own neighborhood,
finds out what farmers need help
and what men are available for
supplying the local need. and eff
fccts such adjustments as can be
made locally. If, after all local ad-
Iustments have been made. there
remains either a deficit or a sur
plus of labor he reports TO the
county man." whose business II iJ
To effect adjustments between the
several communities in his county.
The county man. in turn, reports
any deficit or surplus 10 the state
man." who canvasSes the situation
for the state as a whole and reports
10 the United States department Of
agriculture. which. in close CO
operation with the United states
department of labor, is charged
with the distribution of mobile
Ia Dor for the country as a wrole.
Thus each unit in the system acts
as clearing house for its own ter
ritory reporting 70 the units higher
up only when il needs help or has
help 10 OFFER. The plan provides
that supplemental reports shall be
submitted by each community man
whenever changes in the local labor
situation make desirable further
adjustments that can not be met
with the material at hand OF when
surplus of labor develops which
he e. D not use.
A great many retired farmers. Of
whom there are 100000 in the
country may be available for emer-