The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-29
The Editors Mail Bag
To the Editor of The Forum:

To the Editor of The Forum:
The business men and laborers Of town VINO
feel an interest in the harvest situation, and wish
to help ins the emergency, may be interested IN
the plan which has been quite generally followed
in Nebraska during the harvest season just COM
ing to a close.
Through some existing organization. such as a
commercial club, or by a committee working with
the council Of defense, canvass was MADE IN
town to secure names Of all men willing to work
in the harvest fields. The list Of names was
filed, and one man was given entire charge Of
arrangements, and all requests from FARMERS
were referred to him.
Instead of offering a certain number Of days,
the made Of the long evenings and the
shocking was all done between the hours Of six
and ten. When request came for laborers, the
in charge, having ascertained the size of the
fields telephoned proportionate number Of men
to report for work. Autos carried them quickly
to the farm and the grain was rapidly set up.
No lunches were served. and nothing was asked
Of the farmer-he went about his evening chores,
as usual Although the settlement was left with
the farmer, to pay what he felt 1t was worth, no
man was expected to work for nothing. Those
who did the work merely because they wanted to
do their bit, quietly turned their wages over to
the Red Cross, while the man who wanted the
extra money to help meet the soaring cost or
living, could do so without any humiliation.
All farmers who employed this kind of labor
we'll satisfied, so far as the writer was able
to learn, and heard Of no case in which less
than the prevailing wage was offered to the men.
This plan seems to have several advantages
over that sometimes proposed OF spending vaca-
ton the farm or Of hiring out for certain
number Of days. The man who is Sunaccustome0
to working in the fields is not in physical condi
dition to do hard days work during the theat
Of the harvesting season, and if he tries to do so,
he Is likely to do himself injury, and ho will fail
to satisfy his employer, as we'll But the same
man can spend three four hours in the even
ing working very hard and not feel any bad ef
fects from it. There is need to call attention
to the fact that a Of men, working together
can set grain up much more quickly than ono or
two, following the binder. For farmer to make
hired man" Of the man with whom he has
been doing his banking business, the preacher
to whom he listens on Sunday, would be an limo
walton that would be slightly trying to all par
ties concerned, and that is the situation brought
about when town men propose to spend their
vacations helping out on the farm. The other
plan is more simple, and it though it
might be used again at threshng time and more
easily yet at potato picking time, when every
in town can-get out and pick up potatoes
for two three hours after early closing up
OF his business house.
Although many have answered the call to
the colors there is yet a great deal Of energy
going to waste in town between the hours Of
five and eleven, and If bushel OF grain is lost in
the present emergency because the men of town
did not arise to meet the situation, or because
farmers did not accept offered help, it should be
to the everlasting shame of the guilty party.
Let's all carry on"
Fargo, July Is. o. A. CLEMENT.