The midland journal., 1917-08-17
TElE FARM LABOR BU-
| REAU AND IT'S CO-OPERA-
H. TON WITH THE FARMER
County Agent Under Maryland
Council OF Defense Law, To
Aid Farmer In Every
Phase OF Increased.
i Production.

Under the Act Of the General
Assembly at its special session last
June. when it passed a law authoriz-
ing q Council of Defense for Mary
land, appropriating one million dol
lars for its preparatory work for
war, 1t stipulated that 100000 of
the million was to be spent toward
agricultural development and exten-
sion and the conservation of food.
The increased planting of food
stuffs, which is yielding almost
double production, requiring more
farm labor than heretofore, coming
at q time, when a scarcity of labor
is being felt in every line of work,
due to the men being drawn from
the fields to the ranks of military
service, and to the demand for labor
made necessary by increased pro-
duction in materials for warfare,
such as in the munition plants, ship
building yards and cantonments,
which are springing up in every
section in every state, it was neces-
sary for the protection of the farmer,
30 that his crops would not suffer
from want of help to harvest them,
to establish a Farm Labor Bureau,
whose functions are 10 provide suf-
ficient labor to yield the greatest
production of the crops planted.
To reach the farmers of the State
end to provide a speedy and efficient
working force to see that the wants
Of each county was supplied, the
Maryland Agricultural Extension
Service, with County Agents in each
Of the counties, with the United
States Department of Agriculture
and the United States Department
of Labor, cooperating, have per-
1ected their organization whereby
practical assistance can be given
any farmer of the State in need OF
help along the agricultural line.
Extraordinary efforts are being
made by County Agents to have the
farm laborers in their county work
the full week, as well as trying to
have those who have left farm work
for other vocations, to go back on
the farm, and in many instances the
County Agents have been able to fill
the requests for farm labor without
going out of their county for
help, which class of help is most
desired by the farmers. In cases
where the County Agent is unable
to supply the demand for labor
from his own county, he makes ap-
plication to the Farm Labor Bureau,
located in the Stewart Building,
Gay and Lombard Street, Baltimore,
who, by aid Of advertising and farm
labor scouts, secures the labor de-
sired, where possible, and ships it to
the County Agent, who distributes
1t on the farms needing help.
Being q State Office, no charge is
made to the farmers asking for
farm hands, but in cases where there
is a transportation charge in getting
the help from one county to another,
the farmer is expected to pay that
charge, and In making application
to his County Agent for farm help,
he is expected to state just what his
needs are, whether he wants q man
for temporary or permanent work,
whether he prefers q. married or
single man, whether he will provide
lodging and board or Just lodging
OF Just board, whether he has tenant
houses for married help, what he
will pay and the character of work
he expects to have done. With this
information at hand, the County
Agent is able to make selection OF
the men to be placed, which is found
to be of great advantage, not only to
the farmer, but to the farm hand.
who makes q much better satisfied
1aborer.
The need for increased production
in all food crops cannot be too
strongly urged at this time, and
with the farm labor situation solved,
practically assuring the farmer that
he need have no fear as to securing
help when it is needed, every farmer
is urged, as a patriotic duty and on
the personal and special request of
the President of the United States,
to plant heavier crops this fall than
ever before.
If you do not know who your
County Agent is write, phone or ask
the editor of this newspaper.
COMPULSORY WORK LAW.