The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-26
SKILLED FARM LABOR
IN DEFERRED CLASSES
Agricultural Advisers to Work With
Earh District Boarti--County
Agents Called to Supply Facts.

A plan has been agreed upon DS Ans
war labor policies board, provost mar
shall general. secretary OF war. secre-
tarv OF agriculture. and secretary Of
labor to put into deferred classical
ton such persons In the new draft as
are necessary in agriculture. industry
and other occupations,
Three advisers are to be associated
with each district draft board to pre-
sent facts relative to the supply of
necessary workers In these three oc-
cupational groups. The agriculture
advisers will be nominated by the
secretary OF agriculture. They Will
gather accurate facts regarding the
requirements OF agriculture for the
various classes of workers in their
own districts. They should have facts
aiss. asto tho eefffeffts= for such
classes in other districts in order that
workers not sufficiently necessary in
one district to entitie them TO de-
ferred classification may have oppor-
tunity TO go 10 other districts in which
they are needed.
County Agents to Give Facts.
The department OF agriculture has
sent a QUESTIONABLE 10 each county
agent, asking him 10 furnish reliable
information at once relative to the
QUESTIONABLE is TO be duplicated. one
copy going to the state farm help
specialist. and one returned to the
department. The department of ag-
riculture will undertake. both directly
and through the state farm help spe-
eiaftst, 10 keep each district adviser
informed as To the needs Of neces-
sary farm workers in various parts
OF the country.
The purpose OF the information
called for IL to assist the DISTRICT draft
boards ir keeping in agriculture the
(a) necessary skilled farm laborer
in necessary agricultural enterprise
Deferred Glass ID; OBJ necessary
a assistant associate. or hired man
ager OF necessary agricultural enter
prise" Deferred Class IIn; tc)
necessary sole managing. controlling,
or directing head of necessary agricul-
tural enterprise Deferred Class
IN).
What the draft boards desire are
th. facts as to necessary skilled work
ers. The tfnskillcd workers appar-
entity are not to be considered for de-
ferred classification: they are regard
ed as more important for the army
than for agriculture and industry.
Necessary skilled farm lahorers
should not he confused with mex
perienced help that, with little
training can do fairly well, some
kinds Of farm work.
Definition Suggested.
A skilled farm lahorer" has been
defined by one authority as "one who
has the strength, intelligence and ex-
perience to perform acceptahly the
ordinary farm operations Nof the dis
trict community, or farm concerned.
whether in fields, ranches. orchards,
suggested as a guide. The draft
boards may have still other standards
A further suggestion may be made
with reference to necessary as ap-
Piled to skilled lahorers.- Presum-
ably the amount OF skilled labor that
may be regarded as necessary Is to
be determined by the requirements Of
the present agricultural war program
something more than a normal pro-
duction of most farm products. Per-
,inent questions in this connection
therefore are such as: Are there SUI
ficient skilled workers to produce the
live stock. cereals. fruits, etc. re-
quired by this program Do these
workers toll harder and longer
hours Do some children. especially
under fourteen years OF age. work
regularly eight hours or more? Are
the burdens OF farm women increased?
In other words, do the farm people,
responding to many patriotic appeals,
make, as compared to other occupa-
tional groups. very heavy draft
upon their reserve strength and upon
their children? %