The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-15
WANT ROAD CREWS AT
FARMERS DISPOSAL
Owing to Shortage of Labor In Coun-
try, Farmers Submit Request 10
State Defense Council.
COOPERATION Is SOLUTION
Question Taken Up With state High
way Department, Which Regards
Movement az Inadyisablc in the Ex-
treme.

SO great are the crops Of nearly
every kind expected to be that the
farm labor situation again looms up In
Ia way to cause some concern.
i throughout the country this difficulty
is being .accentuated by the great de-
mand for labor in government work
and in other lines.
Among the plans now being consd-
cred bv the federal labor bureaus and
state officials is one providing that
T farmers may requisition county road
crews for having and threShinE. The
virginia council of defense has re-
i ceived from the national council at
/ Washington suggestion that the Viz
! ginia council give careful considera-
ton to the action of the Wisconsin
+ council, and approve. il If possible,
which permits all road crews to be at
the disposal Of farmers for such work
where a serious labor shortage exists
The United States department of
agriculture has investigated this plan
and finds It we'll adapted to the needs
of MANY localities. The department of
agriculture has sent to every state
council Of defense in the country a
copy of a bulletin from the Wiscon-
sin council, which explains the farm
labor plan as follows:
tered letters from farmers in various
sections OF the state who are engaged
in hdying. inquirng as to whether it
would he possible to have country
road crews work for a few days and
help them with their haying.
We have taken this matter up with
the state highway commission, inQuir-
ing of them whether II would be pos
siDle to effect some arrangement
J., 4. L.
at certain seasons and the county road
labor fred for agricultural operations.
Mr.. Hrst. the state highway en-
cineer, believes that the labor ~robIem
In each county is a problem peculiar
to that county, which should be
worked out by the county council of
defense. the labor agent, and the coun-
ty road officials, and he believes that
in every county where real emer-
gency exists it will be easily possible
for these local bodies to agree upon
some effective plan OF cooperation
Therefore we would recommend
that If aat any time the labor problem
in county becomes acute that the
county council take up the matter
Immediately with the county road Off
Gals. who it is believed will coop
crate. If at any time this co-opera-
ton Is not forthcoming, the state
council of defense will appreciate be-
ing notified to that effect and Will
then take UP the matter with the
state highway commission, which has
promised to do it's utmost to see that
the county road organizations do CO.
operate.
The state highway commission
feels that any plan OF stopping road
work and furnishing the labor to one
farmer or set of farmers in espe-
cial neighborhoods would be very in
advisable and that any plan involving
the temporary stof7Tage OF road work
in arcounty, mist give Ia each farmer
an equal opportunity to secure the
labor and not deliver it to certain
favored ones
Should the Virginia council APP
prove this plan. the matter will be
taken up shortly with the proper state
officials