Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-25

y...r.,g. Iii more tGan two
.fap.1ea farmers met PTesi-
,..t watson a. tlr Nhlte House Mon
.4.. afternoon At O'clock and dis
,I.st4 n.,... a.lu the methods a. deter
Inning exemption .. farm -ap"i III
e..,...t..u WIZ. tho daft. The iafm-
.. -.IuivdnIeG ~ 'arse as
s,.t..-.p "a senators. SUEg4t ssiheh
an. p.,mIncnt persons from various
.t1trs Wnv gathered Eete - pieseht
,..a. ,a.. 10 tue President. Inc
iarnnei- presented a memorial drawn
nv the Federal Board OF Farm Or
tau,tauons. federation OF haHoHaI
lam associations. which Mas formed
shortiy after the outbreak oi our war
with Germany. as 2 means oi giving
IN. farmer "a voice n national dfia'is'
Tho board proposes % do ioI farmers
MA mo American Federation OF
I1u.. Zoos TOR workers and the Cham-
boz. ai q Commerce oi the United states
does FOR otganized business interests.
joining with the board Mere the legis-
iafivo committee Of the National
Grange Tho memorial follows:
Nj. FrCsid, nj.
There 10 an unprecedented shortage
OF agricultural labor. Because OF 1t
tho farmers %. the United states fear
tnay ma, not he able To do, as they
aosirc 20 do their tul share in the
great common task " winning the
War. For this reason the Federal
Board Oh arm Organizations, speak
ing for the farmers u America has
ask.d permission TO lay certain facts
before you.
Alricuture is ;Ge only great ,ndLs-
try now undermined as compared
with Inc standards existir- before the
Wan Many Industries want addi-
ti,ql, r.t Agriculture actually mas
l.fs.
The shortage OF farm labor is cut
tin. down tho productive power of
American farms. Transportation ccm-
pnnIcs. contractors. ana industrial
plant oT,r tor lanor prices higher by
fnr than ANY farmer can pay and still
produce food for the consumer at rea-
f01at j." rates.
Farming is highly skilled oCCuPa-
ton. Trained farm labor can not be
replaced 10 advantage 10y unframed
men. women, and boys Furthermore,
the common necessity 20 make the
farm iaborer, whoever he may he.
mefUtFE .f INt INUlliN iA''l'f sun ihl
Their restricts the availability of
strangers
Tire return 20 ,he farmer is far be-
low that g. men equally skilled in any
either occupation. while the special
rFka he runs from weather, insects,
and diseases arc greater than theirs
by far Therefore mon who leave the
farm seldom return TO u.
a -
census of the state Of New York show
that In June. 1917. there were 10000
less farm hands IN The farms Of New
York than there were in June. 1916.
On March ~ 1917 Mo farm labor sup
plr IN the United states as whole.
~ reported hy the Bureau Of Crop
Estimate, was Il per cent below nor
NAL witch means .that one in every
seven productive farm workers had
then neen taken away from tho farm.
The situation IS worse TODAY.
on tho other hand we arc familiar
with ofNcinl statements and statistics
seeking TO show that there is no
th0rtagc ~ agricultural labor in the
United states They fail TO impress
~ Whatever NAV he said 70 the con-
'rarv me farmers Of America know.
hv the Irdcniablc proof OF daily ex-
pcricrce that they nr~ short or help
Merely 70 DENY ~ gives thcm no relief
We 40 not approve Of class eX-
emptl0ns from the draft Put We un-
derstand tina, ~ Is the chief purpose
~ n sciective draft 80 keep those in
dustriet which are most essential TO
the winning ~ the War manned 10 the
point ~ highest efficiency. NJ least un
~ such time as the need ~ men AZ the
front shall compel n shortage In every
lire NJ work In our Judgment the pros
en- method ~ executing the law Will
result In greatly reducing the pro-
duetive power ~ our farms Just At the
time whom an increase IN that power IS
'he one most essential condition Of
victory A. YOU Yourself have said:
Upon the farmers OF this eoun-
Try, therefore. in large measure.
res, the fate Of the War and the
F,.e 81 the Nations"
II the selective service act Is based
upon the desire - the Government 10
rut each man where he NAV serve his
country best .hon tho administration
II the nc. should not limit exemption
70 those who apply for II. as Il does
now. MANY farmers who should he
exempt refuse 20 apply Many young
men voluntarily enlist in the army
who can serve most usefullv else
where We ourselves know 81 many
Young farmers who have left the farm
for the Army, 20 tho loss Of the Ma
ton as whole.
Mere exemption or discharge Of
skilled farmers from the draft would
not meet the case They should he re-
quirsd 70 remain IN productive labor
On 'Ne prm during the period for
which their exemption may be neces-
sarv
Because tho world is short ~ food.
he Government has asked the farmers
~ n patriotic service 70 increase their
product IN answer 70 the call. the
farmers have done. and viii do their
REST But already a large proportion
~ The farms are undermined. and
he process ~ depletion proceeds I'M
checked America is making the same
mistake that England made. instead Of
learning from her experience. We be-
nsve that q Is against the National in
tcres' and safety, rs we'll as against
Tire purpose ~ the law and the Gov