davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
merica Tap the Great, Cheap Labor Mines of A sia

cussion, however, is not that of import
ing, coolie labor indiscriminately, but
rather skilled Chinese farmers for
purely agricultural labor. The hackers
of the movement in Congress do not
contemplate letting down the bars to
any and all kinds of Oriental labor, but
merely to qualified farm workers. The
efficiency of the Chinese farmer is
universally admitted. Official figures
show that the United States already
has within it's borders about 1900
Chinese farmers, of whom about 49,
900 are III California, where they have
SO favorably impressed the agricultural
interests of that state that the demand
for more Of them is insistent. Only 76O
of these Chinese own their farms; the
rest arc laborers, who look forward
to return to China some day. after
the manner of most Chinese who have
come here.
1t may be noted that last fall the
Philippine Islands demanded admission
Of Chinese farm laborers to their plan
tations. and bill was introduced in
the island Legislature regulating such
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
Helping Women Bereaued by War Tighten Purse String

it, than from her husband. That is
quite natural, for always she has been
the domestic administrator, time out
of mind. She has had to wheedle
money from her husband to put it
where it will do the most good, and it
is her main business to make every
dollar go as far as it will.
"But when it comes to handling large
sums Of money the average woman's
ignorance and inexpericnce bring her
to grief OF course. have known
many women who have done very we'll
with their money. especially if they
have been women of means who have
always had large sums to deal with.
But we are talking here Of working
women and wives of workingmen.
"For example, l know one working
woman~-she was q good woman, too
who had never earned more than $40
or $i2 in her life. Suddenly she was
left the sum of $4,000 in cash. She
came to ME for advice, but not really
wanting advice. Really, she just
wished to tell me all about it, How
ever, / did advise her. and told her to
put her money in the hands Of = rels-
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

have had those sums and watched them
melt away. But they haven't learned
to think in thousands They don't re-
allze that there are only four twenty
fives in a hundred and ten hundreds in
a thousand, and thousands will disap-
pear very rapidly.
but what to advise women to do
about it is little difficult. Of course,
they must practise thrift in general.
But where to tell them to go for finan-
cial advice is q problem, for even
very good lawyers are often expensive.
| would warn them specially against
get-rich-quick' schemes. They can al
ways put their money at interest in
q bank, and these days, with the good
banking laws we have made, almost any
real bank is safe. l say real bank, for
there are some private concerns on the
East Side, for instance, that are not al
ways responsible. 1t should be q real
bank that comes under state inspection
and supervision.
II know poor domestic servant who
had saved $4,000. She had it at in
terest in a bank; she was advanced in
years, and it made good little nest
egg against the time when she could
no longer work. She used to let me
know all about her business from time
to time. But some people got hold Of
her and told her ! was too cautious
and old-fashioned. They said she had
a chance to make fortune in some
Long Island real estate. Well, she in
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
By Carolyn Bulley
THAT the female of the species is

" Hal the female OF the species Is
more thrifty than the male, and
that even her notorious taste
for fine feathers does not become de-
stroying passion with her, as does drink
and gambling with men, is the convic-
ton of Monsignor NJ. J. Lavelle, rector
of st. Patrck's Cathedral. Nevertheless,
Father Lavclle believes that cam
paign to educate women in the hand
ling Of their own finances could be in
stituted to-day with great opportune-
ness, particularly in view Of the fact
that events in Europe are bound to
create in this country. great army
of war widows, who will suddenly and
tragically have financial responsibility
thrust upon their shoulders.
"Trouble comcs," says Father La
velle, when women who have lived on
small sums from week to week sud
denly have $4,000 or $4,000 put into
their hands. Ordinarily. taking them
by and large. there is nothing in the
world more conscientious than wife
and mother. 1t is more difficult to get
money out Of her. and you get less OF
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

many of them do. To be sure, women
who scrub out Office buildings don't
have these fits; but, of course, when
you can't afford to do things you often
don't. 1t reminds me of how Augustin
Daily used to have a sign up IN his
dressing rooms, 'Fainting Forbidden
81 Fine for Each offence And there
was no fainting around his theatre.
Nv omen ere apt to be overconfident
in other people. They have a general
idea that men know all about financial
matters, and don't realize that some
men make ignorant advisers and more
are self-seeking. Sometimes they want
to show off. One of the greatest finan-
cial temptations to women is when
they are inspired by an idea Of getting
into nicer living quarters, taking a
larger apartment, perhaps, and renting
out portions Of it, thereby making the
rent for the part they occupy. Some
times this scheme has worked, but most
often it hangs like milestone around
their necks.
81 would advise the war widows Of
the present to look out specially for
agents who offer to put through their
pension claims speedily and charge Il
high fee for doing it.
"These agents are often unscrupu-
lous. Many Of them wrought havoc
with the pensioners of the Civil War.
hope there will be no need for agents
after this war"
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

eat dead feed. His land lacks fertili-
cation. And people ask why the farm
er's livestock supply is being de-
pleted.
Getting away from wheat for the
moment to the general food production
problem, we may expect the Depart
ment of Agriculture to adjust itself to
these new conditions. 1t comes natu-
rally to mind that where amateur gar
dening was excessively employed in
1918 some substitute employment of
the patriotic impulse can be found
which will have less injurious reac-
tions.
Backyard gardening must go on. 1t
is useful. But there will be found a
different emphasis thereon, one may
prophesy. "Grow your own vegetables" )"
!, will be the call. "But don't try to COM
pete with the regular market gar
dener," will be the aumonition. "Raise
vegetables to eat, but not to SELL"
There will be the happy distinction.
Let no one be discouraged. Other
outlets appear for the patriotic urge
Eggs, eggs, egg!" This is q cry one
is going to hear in the spring and
summer of 1918.
"Raise eggs and chickens and win
the war;" the posters will cry on the
dead walls. There's a reason. The egg
crop has never been overdone. The
poultry production has never seen a
surplus. 1t is true that the backyard
egg amateur may be producing eggs at
an economic loss in 1918--if he counts
his time and charges rent for his hens
But it is not a matter of profit and
loss. 1t is q matter of total food pro-
duction, staple food, non-p -perishablc
food.
"Raise hens, produce eggs, then
whether at profit to you or not
There is the dictate Of 1918 conscience
The positive and irrcmediable egg
famine which is now involving us
ought to be put to rout next fall by
myriads of new egg activities in the
back yard. "a hundred hens" on each
farm is the Department of Agriculture
slogan for 1918.
New drives on certain foods on the
part of the department one may
anticipate. Milk is wanted, or. rather,
misapplied, to large extent. No one
who is acquainted with the farm is
surprised to know that large portion
of the, milk production is fed to hogs
because skim milk has no market
status.
Skim milk is practically the whole
of the milk. 1t lacks only the fat and
is rich in protein. 1t has been brought
into discredit because it has been den-
tilted with poor milk and has been
sold falsely as all milk. The Depart
ment of Agriculture is going to estab-
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

plete solutions. He plans, first, farm
survey, to determine just what is
needed; second, he suggests greater
cooperation among farm communi-
ties" and, last, recommends extended
use of farm machinery. 1t is also
proposed to utilize boys and women to
a far greater extent than in the past.
Finally, thero is the radical suggestion
of the "drafting" of farm labor, the
employment on the land of elders"
and those employed in unnecessary in
dustries.
To all of these palliatves the farmer
replies that for the most part the labor
that could be drafted" would be pret-
ty nearly useless to him; that neither
women nor boys have the strength to
do the work he needs, and that while
he is anxious to extend the use of
machinery, such machinery is cxpen-
sive, and the supply is limited. and it
calls for more skilled handling than
he can expect from the casual labor
he is likely to get
How urgent the need and how
serious the problem are only beginning
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

to be felt. "The Baltimore Sum-" rec
ognizing a "nation-wide emergency"
said that the Agricultural Department
has to deal with new and extraor-
dinary situation. and it requires new
powers and may have to adopt new
methods. 1t must get away from any
encumbering red tape that may still
hamper it, it must have the courage
and the vision, as we'll as the auth or
lty, to provide on a large and sufficient
scale for the agricultural needs of the
nation: The future of the world may
depend upon the energy, the complete
ness and the promptness with which
we act"
NJ NJ. Sherman, leading farmer of
Kansas, is quoted by "The Kansas City
Times" as saying: "The farm is not
manned. The direct draft is only par
TALLY responsible for this. Other in
dustres have drawn men from the
farms to meet their needs.
ut is impossible to grow the food
stutfs demanded of our farms with no
more help"
Nor can the farmer pay any such
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

IF the war lasts for a considerable
length of time, with all the demands
that in such an event would be made
on the man power of this country, shall
we import Crientals like the rest. CIR
shall we put the burden on our boys,
our women and our old men? The
problem sooner or later seems likely
to come right down to the answer to
that question. A lot of US hate the
thought of having imported Orentals
labor IN this country; some feel it
would be the entering wedge for
cheaper labor rates after the war is
over, and others think it would mean
the establishment of a new standard
OF living that would drag the general
workers OF the country down. But the
problem may soon be here"
"The Detroit Free Press" while il
considered Senator Gallinger's rcsolu-
tion as perhaps premature, neverthe-
less warned labor interests against un-
Warranted opposition to it. saying:
ne majority Of people probably
consider the Chinese exclusion act not
measure to prevent the influx Of tho
yellow race into this country because
1T Is yellow race. This is an error.
In the beginning the exclusion act was
law for the protection of American
wage standards, and it was aimed at
the Chinaman because he happened to
be the parsonage willing to underbid
the domestic labor market. 1t was
passed quite largely in Difference to
the demands of organized labor, for
whose benefit this barrier was set up.
"Since the beginning of the fight
with Germany a few branches of or
ganized labor have been abusing their
position and privileges
The effect of their greed bas
touched the agricultural ed. breed
ing untimely discomfort among tho
r. mhands and among the sons Of
farmers and Turing them AVA from
their places to other branches of in
dustry."
'sThe Yonkers Statesman" on the
other hand, believed that labor interests
would not seriously oppose the plan,
when understood. and thought that
sentiment in favor Of the suggestion is
expected to increase during the winter,
smong Democrats as we'll as Republi-
cans, and it is hoped that by spring
we'll formulated plans can be put into
operation 10 give practical effect to the
proposal
The consensus Of opinion throughout
the great producing districts seems TO
favor the adm ission cf the Chinese
farmer as a war measure. The oppo-
sition, aside from that Of labor orgsns.
! is for the most part in centres that
are not Agricultural. And everywhere
there is slowly growing real alisation
Of the need Of more farm labor If more
food is to be produced.
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

ly fit Californian conditions, the advo-
Gates of the plan argue that adequate
provision could be made for the de-
portation of importe- labor after the
war need has passed.
The argument against it is obvious,
in the danger of introducing an un-
asslmilable alien element Former Pres
ldent Roosevelt has stated this objec-
ton with his usual force and cogency.
There has also been loud outcry from
Labor interests, and clamor of the "yel-
low peril" To this the advocates Of the
proposal reply that there is no possi-
bic competition between American or
ganizcd labor and imported Chinese
farmers, and that without some such
source of supply the demand for agri-
cultural work cannot be met.
That the shortage Of farm labor is
one of the most serious problems Of
the immediate future is beginning to
be realized in some quarters. To meet
it Secretary Houston of the Depart
ment of Agriculture has proposed GER
tain things which may help, although
he does not put them forward as COM
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

wage as the competing industry. In
the words of George A. Waterman, of
Ann Arbor, q representative farmer,
as quoted by "The Christian Science
Monitor:
"The farmer needs steady workers
every day, and he cannot blow the
whistle when the eight hours are up.
Farming on an eight-hour day sched-
ule is an impossibility at the present
time, and keeping up to the production
OF former years is becoming more and
more difficult"
If neither drafted" labor, voluntary
aid from boys, women and amateurs,
nor increased use of machinery can
solve the problem the only answer re-
naming, according to its advocates, is
the importation of Chinese, who are
competent, will work for low wage,
and OF whom the supply is plentiful
Despite the general reluctance to take
such a step many conservative critics
seem inclined to discuss it favorably.
The Springfield Republican," a con-
servative journal, whose opinion car
ries weight, said:
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

admission. The terms of this measure
are are. interesting, in view of the posi-
bility of similar action in this coun-
try: 1t is provided that to be admitted
a Chinaman must "have certificate
showing his good conduct, must be
more than eighteen and less THAI forty
tive years of age; must be free from
any, contagious diseases; must by phys
ically able for agricultural work;
must remain in the Philippines for a
period Of not less than five years
and must swear that while in the ISL
ands he shall not engage himself in
any other kind Of business. A labor
er is also required to sign a contract
in which will be specified the salary
he shall receive, the kind of work
in which ne will be engaged during
his residence i'll the Philippines and
in what place or province he shall
reside.
"If a laborer shall violate any of
the foregoing conditions, he shall be
expelled from the country prior to the
expiration of his contract"
While these regulations would scarce
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
Hoouer,s Great Food Offensive for 1918 to
Last Years Defences Dented on Manv
Vital. Sectors and New Strategy Is
Con'ing-Even Gardening Success Has
Left Serious Problem Through Injury
to 7ruckers-America No.u 500, 600
Tons Behind in Aiding Allies

the hundreds. Vegetables were wasted
by the thousands of bushels, for vepe-
table surpluses cannot be exported sue
cessfully, and vegetable production is
therefore only a domestic substitute
for staples.
How to induce the professional trnck
gardeners to resume business in the
spring for the production of an ade-
quate vegetable crop to sustain the
nation after the amateurs enthusiasm
subsidies and the backyard garden has
1alied to market itself consistently
here is a pretty problem for 1918.
mere are comforts In the situation.
but first let us face the evil factors
resolutely.
lake potatoes. Never did the soil
Yield such crop. The farmers cell
lars and pits are gorged with potatoes.
unmarketed. And the cost of produc.
tlon was stiff. Seed was scarce and
! dear. Labor was costly. Harvesting
ana storing were expensive. The po-
tatoes should net the farmer so cents a
bushel But with potatoes selling, at
from Sl.50 to $1.75 bushel the people
are not eating them.
Potato consumption is at low ebb.
Spring will come. The farmers will
still have their potatoes unmarketed.
They will rot or be fed uneconomically
to the hogs. That is, unless some way
is discovered to reduce the price of DO
tatoes to the consumer, to encourage
potato eating, and to persuade the
farmer that he is not going to get a
good price for his potatoes any way,
and that he may as we'll sell now with
out profit
An "eat potatoes" and a "sell pota-
toes" campaign, with possibly a fixing
OF the wholesale price of potatoes, may
be necessary. Even then there will re-
main the problem which invariably fol-
lows an excessive crop and low mar
ket--reduced planting for the year fol-
lowing.
The problem of potato production for
19lS is therefore seriously involved in
the problem of disposing of the perish
able potato crop of 1917.
Mr.. Hoover has to battle with eco
nomlc forces of an irresistible nature.
Fixing the price of wheat, stimulating
an overplus of vegetables, these only
begin to be real problems IN the second
year.
But neither Mr.. Hoover nor the De-
rartment of Agriculture is daunted.
One may expect presently the an
nouncement of definite programmes for
the year 1918.
The worlds food problem becomes in
tensified with each succeeding year.
The reduction of productive farm labor
continues. For example, France has
100000 people employed in muni-
tions Only old women and babies are
lett to plant crops. The available
supply of food in 1918 will be much
less than before, despite all our efforts.
But without our herculean efforts nosi-
tive famine will stare the rest Of the
world in the face. 1t would be ridicu.
lous to suppose that we could starye.
IN the opinion OF departmental experts.
Our impulse TO produce is a patriotic.
an altruistic impulse.
We can't ship vegetables to our allies.
We can eat them and save wheat. Thew
. cannot use corn. The crop of 1917
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
Ignorance Cause
OF Her Misfortune

ain her case ignorance was at the
bottom of her misfortune, and then
she had an idea that the real estate
agent would marry her, so there's
where the foolishness comes in. too.
Another woman / know was a
boarding house keeper. Her husband
died and she was left lump sum of
$4,000 from life insurance policy,
Well. in a year that was all gone, and
she owed $400 she had borrowed on
her furniture. With her it was her
easygoing, good disposition and a no.
tion the money never could become ex-
hausted. That's it, you see. They know
how far $40 or SIS will 60. for they
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20

lish market for skim milk, the VOL
luminous by-product Of the creamery
and the farm. Cottage cheese is an
other milk product which one will hear
more Of in 1918, as highly nutritious,
delicious and an economical food,
especially valuable as an addition to
vegetables.
Then comes the hog. The farmer
will have hog values dinned into his
ear The squeal of the hog is going
to be heard in the land in 1918. "Hog
clubs" have been organized throughout
the country. Country boys and girls
are each raising hog, or sheep; one
extra rasher or chop with which to
confound the Hun.
The food shortage Of 1918 can only
be minimized, not overcome. The evil
is increased by the depletion of sur
pluses. In former years there usually
We're surplus grains in the elevators
and in the farm granaries. Not so
this year. In most Of these food
staples we must start from a clean
scraped bin. This is relatively true
also of livestock.
To determine precisely what the
present supply Of food in this coun-
try is the Department of Agriculture
has made survey, as of December
81. Tho returns have not been
analyzed, but it may we'll be surmised
that the total stock is low in staples
though there arc vegetables in plenty
Hog Is Cheaper
Than the Dog
The army eats pork. ut is cheaper
to keep a hog than it is to keep a
dog" says the Department of Agri-
culture--this with an eye, too, to sheep
Sheep could be raised in urban parks
and on commons were it not for the
dog. Hog production went up from
61,ooo,00O per annum in the pre-wa1
period to 67,00o,O0o last year. The gov
ernment is determined that it shall &c
higher in 1918. The crop Of hog food
on hand is enormous.
Our sheep have been diminishing
steadily. They have decreased 13,0oo,.
600 in the last fifteen years. We pro.
duced in 1916 only 80 per cent of the
wool we used. And our army is being
clad in shoddy. This should shame Us
into raising sheep, into joining Hous
toms "shecp clubs"
A cattle shortage menaces us. Ir
1907 we had 51,5oo,OOO cattle, exclusive
of milk cows. Last year they dwindlec
to 40,S5000O. The herds of Europe
have all but disappeared. If the wal
goes or the cow and the sheep and the
hog will be almost extinct in Europe.
Hog cholera is being fought by the
Department Of Agriculture. The losses
last year from cholera amounted to
S75,000,000. Were the government able
to realize its ideal to stamp out losses
from diseases in grain, fruits and live
stock the worlds food deficit would be
wiped out Our losses from anthrax
New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
And crop estimates are usually below

And crop estimates are usually below
the mark.
A skilful adaptation Of price fixing
to tho free play Of other economic
factors was Mr.. Hoovers fixing of a
less price for 1913 wheat than for 1917,
skilful, that is, in defeating boarding,
though not so skilful in stimulating
production.
The farmer was at first inclined to
hoard his 1917 crop, hoping for an up
set in the fixed price. The mills at
Minneapolis threatened to stop turning
one day last September for lack of
grist. 1t is not generally known that
New York City at that critical mo-
ment had but thirty-six hours -four
supply on hand. Hoover to the rescue.
The farmer was made to realize that
1918 would bring him no better price
for his shrunken wheat. Flour has
been plentiful.
Yet this very guarantee Of 81 mini
mum was a desperate adventure, for,
should the war suddenly cease the
India, Argentine and Russian wheat
would, in competition with this gov
ernment guaranteed wheat, force us to
a loss of some $500,000,Oo0. But war
is war, and wheat is victory
Farmer Asking
Protection in Buying
The farmer should be satisfied, per
haps. For the 1861 crop he was
getting only $3.50 on the open market;
for the 191516 crop he got only 90
cents. In England, as in France, the
fixed price is $3.50, and in Australia
the fixed price is $1,14.
That wheat would otherwise have
gone to 50 for the consumer Is the free
prediction Of the Hoover administra.
tion.
But discomfort is manifest on the
farms. The farmer contends that he
loses 81 cents every time he takes a
hushel of wheat to the mill at s2.20.
instead of consuming it on the farm.
He used to get his flour ground and to
get in return for his GO pounds of
wheat 3S pounds of flour, 10 pounds of
bran and two pounds OF middlings. The
miller kept 10 pounds Of flour for his
labor.
To-day the miller takes the whole
bushel of wheat, returning no bran and
no middlings to the farmer. At $3.50
a bushel for wheat the farmer figures
his loss in this manner:
Under the grist system he would Get
back $2S7 worth of flour at present
prices for -four, % cents worth of bran
and cents worth Of mddlings, a total
of 1914. He now gets Sszo and no
return Gin kind" His livestock suf-
fers. He can scarcely afford bran or
middling feed for his stock. His hens