New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-03


answer that best perhaps BY describ-
ing the machinery for mobilization
now in the course Of construction
under the auspices Of the Ohio
branch Of the Council for National
Defence. 1t is a bold and compre-
hensivs plan, and unlike numerous
other suggestions for meeting war
problems, il is not a brand new
scheme" but is built directly on the
experience Of Ohio and other states
in attempting to meet the shortage
of labor on farms for a number Of
years past,
The present problem Of lack Of
farm labor is but the normal condi-
ton accentuated by enlistments of
country youths in the army and by
the high munitions wages that at
tract workers TO the cities and keep
them there. For years there has
been shortage of farm workers.
Long before the war. if you spent a
day in any good public employment
bureau of the Western states you
would meet farmers who were ready
20 give up their farms on account Of
the difficulty Of getting help. In
every interior town there are many
retired farmers who gave up because
they were sick and tired" Of look
ing for help and being left with
crops that couldn't be harvested for
lack Of labor,
To any one familiar with these
conditions the talk about modifying
armies of agricultural workers is an
utter absurdity. That might be done
by CONSUMPTION. but no volunteer
system Of free-wage bargaining is
going to send millions TO the farms
when industrial labor pays better
wages, requires fewer hours Of labor
and affords better conditions Of en-
ployrnent. No amount Of patriotic
exhortation will lead any great num-
bers Of men 70 accept $50 or S25 a
month from a farmer for twelve or
fourteen hours work a day, when
they can get 500 a month and more
in the cities for a shorter day. Pa
triotism might lead men to make
such sacrifices 81 the benefits went
directly 20 the government. But as
long as the farmer is to pocket the
difference between the high city
wages and the pay that he offers we
must expect few 10 be convinced by
the patriotic appeal. Even the young
high school boys who have responded
to patriotic appeals 20 spend their
summer vacations on farms refuse
10 20 to work when they find them
selves face 70 face with the farmer
who offers SO or SIS month and
they know they can earn as much or
more than that IN a week right in
their own home towns.
The Plan to Help
Farmers in Ohio
II was with no false hopes, there
fore, Of raising an enormous army Of
agricultural workers that the Ohio
Council Of Defence set about 20 or
GAME a system Of labor bureaus to
gather together all those who may
be available for farm work and see
that they are distributed and placed
TO the best advantage on the farms
OF the state.
The plan briefly is this: The state
is divided into twenty-one districts,
each district comprising from two TO
five counties. In the largest city Of
each district an employment bureau
T. established and here the demand
for farm workers in the district and
ne supply are gathered together.
Seven Of .he districts already had
old established "State-City Labor
Exchanges" in operation under the
management Of the State Depart
ment of Labor. The control Of these
was temporarily turned over 10 the
Ohio Council of Defence, and the
council organized fourteen new bu-
reaus in the course Of about three
weeks. In each Of these superin-
tendent and one or two clerks were
installed, although most Of the towns
in which the bureaus are located con-
tain populations Of less than 10000.
The seven old Offices which arc 10
Gated in the largest cities had each
from three 70 fifteen employees. The
Council Of Defence made arrange
nnents for doubling these Office forces
and the municipalities provided
larger quarters and more equipment.
II Is just about month since this
work was begun. The first week 200
men and boys we're sent out on
farms. The next week the number
had gone up % 1858. Tho following
week there we're $50, and last week
the number wss 24s. Not all Of
n. -