Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1918-04-06
Secretary Of Agriculture Points
Out City's Part in Food
Production.
CITIZENS MUST HELP OUT
II Soldiers Are Willing to Risk Their
Lives Civilians Can Well Afford to
Spare Time to Serve in Har-
vest Field.
BY DAVID r. HOUSTON,
Secretary Of Agriculture.


Neutrality-suspicious. time ago is
sued statement concerning the farm
labor problem. 1t was pointed out that
there will be farm labor difficulties to
overcome this year as last and that in
certain sections, especially in the
neighborhood of large industrial CEN
ters, the difficulties will be acute. The
lines of effort were indicated along
which the departments Of agriculture
and labor, through representatives In
various states cooperating with the
agricultural colleges and other agen-
cies, are working to furnish assistance.
Briefly stated these agencies are doing
the following things: (a) making q
survey Of the farm-labor situation in
each community with view to discov-
| er possible surpluses of labor, in order
t. be ready to assist in furnishing la
btr wherever it is needed; CD assist
| ing again in shifting labor from COM
mlnity to community and from state to
safe, as in past years; (c) promoting
| clsler cooperation among farmers in
she same community; (d) making
| available, so far as possible, high
school boys in rural districts who have
had experience in farming and who are
not normally regularly or fully en-.
| Dloyed in farming operations; (e) max
ing every effort to see that there is no
obstacle in the way of the production
of larger supply of farm machinery
and it's fuller use as a supplement to
hand labor.
National Army May Help.
Last year, in spite of all the difficult
ties, the farmers planted the largest
acreages in the history of the nation,
harvested record crops of most impor-
tant things except wheat, and sue
ceeded in greatly increasing the num-
bec of live stock. Since last year
skilled farm labor has been given de-
ferred classification and the secretary
of war has asked for power to furlough
soldiers of the National army if their
training permits, so that they may re-
turn to their farms and assist. 1t is
believed that the farmers of the ma
tiGn can, by effective organization and
cooperation, with such assistance as
IAN be furnished, again overcome Ia
)or difficulties and produce large guam
titles of foods, feedstuffs and live
stock.
There is an opportunity now for ur-
ban people sympathetically and con-
constructively to study the farm-labOr
situation and to render assistance. In
many towns and cities there are men
who have had farming experience, who
IRE ablebodied, ana who would doubt
less be willing to na1ve the nation in
the field of agriculture at this time.
Especially for the A*asonal strains Of
planting, cultivating and harvesting, it
will not be too much to ask such men
to aid the farmers in the necessary I'M
dertaking of maintaining and, if pos
sible, supplementing, the food supply
In order to feed the armies and to sus-
tain the civilian population behind
them.
Civilians Should Help.
If soldiers are willing to serve in
he trenches. to dig bitches, build rail
roads and risk their lives many civil
lans can well afford to spare a part
If their time I'd serve in the burrows
md in the harvest fields If it appears
hat the farmers Of community or
region are not able to secure the nee
ossary labor by the usual methods,
then the leaders In the town or city
Immediately dependent upon that re-
zion should organize, establish touch
Ssith representative farm leaders, and
zee if they cannot assist in solving the
problem. In so doing they will not
only aid the farmers of the nation, but
they will vitality contribute to their
own "well-being and to that of their
community.
The farmers are willing to do all
that they humanity can, but where their