The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-05-04

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pointed an advisory board to the
State Commissioner of Agriculture
consisting of thirteen members
Among the number appointed was
President Z. P. Marsh, of the State
Federation of Labor. President
Marsh received a letter from the
Commissioner of Agriculture, asking
for suggestions as to the plan of ac-
tion to be followed. President Marsh
favored federal supervision of the
entire food problem as the best
method to coordinate all action on
the different phases of the food
problem, and explained his views in
letter to Commissioner Benson.
Mr.. Marshs letter follows:
Everett, Wash, April 80, 1917.
Mr.. R. F. Benson,
Commissioner of Agriculture,
Olympia, Wash.
Dear Sir
l have your esteemed favor of the
9th. inst. at hand and have given
the subject matter some considerable
thought. 1t seems to me that
small proportion of our population
are impressed with the real serious
ness of our food situation. Beyond
legitimate criticism of speculation in
foodstuffs and a bewailing of the
high prices, we hear very little from
the people. At least, very little of
constructive nature in the way of
concrete remedy for an alarming stu
alton. The President of the United
States and other thoughtful men
have told us the situation is extreme
ly critical. Now we are officially
told by government representatives
of the allied nations at the present
time in the United States that our
immediate and pressing part of the
war is the furnishing of supplies to
our allies, the most important of
which is foodstuffs.
big as this must be met by decisive
action, even though that action looks
revolutionary in method. We have
just uprooted the idea of voluntary
military service by Congressional
action, that action involving tearing
to shreds principle that Americans
have chung to for over a century.
Taking the position that the food
problem in all its phases takes pre-
cedence over all other war problems,
we might as we'll tackle the problem
in a big way. | am presenting you
my views for what they are worth
and shall be glad to get the views of
the other members of the State Com
mittee
There are at the present time sew
eral agencies dealing with this food
question, each agency working unset
fishly and patriotically but with
no coordination of effort There is
the advisory board appointed to work
in conjunction with yourself; the
Harvesters League, municipal and
county agricultural organizations,
the employment departments of the
federal governments located in all
our larger cities, and last the state
marketing bureau provided for by
the last legislature but not yet in
operation. | would not minimize the
work of each one of these agencies
but cannot but believe that there will
be duplication and waste Of effort
unless they are all co-ordinated and
brought under one central authority.
l would favor a Federal Food Com
mission createt by Act of Congress
with commissions in each state op-
Grating under such law To my mind
this is essential that authority may
be centralized in the federal govern
ment, the only agency equipped to
function on a large scope.
One grave phase of the problem
is the farm labor supply. 1t is an
immediate problem. 1t is impracti-
cal to withdraw men from industries
for agricultural purposes and unwise.
They are needed where they are. Our
floating labor supply, for reasons
which | need not attempt to discuss
in this letter, is averse to farm work
and largely unstable and unreliable
The very gravest economic reasons,
reaching far into the future, ought
to weigh against the introduction of
Asiatic labor into the United States
for agricultural purposes. Whether
we agreed or not on the subject of
conscription, Congress has committed
the country to that policy. If the
food problem be one of the gravest
we have to solve-and all agree that
it is-then. it is carrying out the
policy of Congress to conscript agri-