Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-16
Unusual Condition
in Summer Labor
Markets Of West

Chicago June 14.--Failure on the
winter wheat crops and increased
acreage and indicated bountiful yields
in the. spring wheat belt have COM
bined to produce unique conditions IN
the summer labor markets of the
plains states. Not until Minnesota. the
Dakotas and Montana begin late IN
July to harvest what have been pre-
dicted AS the biggest crops In tnelr
history will there be demand that
communities other than those IN toucn
with the fields send helpers to the
farmers. Hitherto the Macedonian cry
has been heard two months earlier.
Kansas will be able to handle Its
harvest this year with men coming
from states that surround us. 1t Will
be folly for anyone to come from east
of the Mississippi" says the labor Dul-
Iletin of the Kansas department Of Ia
Dor and industry.
Nebraska will not need any outside
help now or in the wheat harvest
says Prof L. l., Rhoads of the federal
department of agriculture who Is han
ding the labor question in that state.
1--WE are short less than fifty men ana
they are needed to cultivate corn.
Contrasted to this picture are reports
from the northwest. State and FED
eral officials in touch with the situa-
ton are unanimous in predicting
real need for harvest hands when the
spring wheat reaches maturity. Only
hail or blights or similar calamity 10
the fields can stand in the way OF the
fulfillment Of these forecasts, 1t Is said.
! survey of the situation In the chie1
,,ro5,,cipO states follows.
Kansas-Harvesting begins June 70
to July 20. The wheat crop Is, the
smallest in years. Reports to the
state department Of labor and indus
try indicate that only $500 men will
be needed in the fields, this number
! being about one-fifth of the army gen.
orally wanted in Kansas. Prospective
harvest hands are warned not to pay
fees to private labor agencies but 10
communicate with the state or federal
free employment bureaus.
Nebraska-No outside help needed at
ALL Only ten per cent OF the winter
wheat that was seeded is surviving ana
estimates of the crop vary from S,0o0'"
900 to 100000 bushels as against 6s,-
600, 900 bushels in 1915.
Illinois-No outside help needed.
Winter wheat in southern counties u
practically failure and the state VII
be able to take care OF Its own corn
and spring wheat harvests.
Iowa-Not important as wheat
state but ii there 10 d decrease IN tnat
| cereal 1t will be compensated Tor by
Increased demands tor labor from corn
farmers. Ambrose L. Urick, state la
Dor commissioner, points out that corn
crops are not rushed in harvest as Is
wheat and expects no great difficulty
in finding the necessary men.
North Dakota-Survey OF the state
with reference to crop and labor con-
ditions is being made by Robert ].
I.eth of the federal department Of az.
riculture. He already has found pros
poets of a much larger crop than last
year with a consequent greater demand
| for labor.
Minnesota-Fred D. Sherman, state
immigration commissioner, says the
demand for labor wifi be greater than
can be filled locally. He has reporters
in every county and because OF In
creased acreage predicts the largest
wheat crop in the history OF tho state.
High school boys, to be sent out TO
work on the farms will help q little
he says.
i A Portland cement plant began opsr-
atoms in Guatemala on April I. It IL
financed by American capital and Cost