The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-08-17
How Farm Labor Shortage
In South Is Being Met

Scores of ways by which harvest help
for Southern farmers already has
been provided or assured were told at
the United States Department of Ag-
riculture's conference of State farm
help specialists for the Southern
States, held recently in Birmingham,
Ala. Some of these ways are given
here with the probability that they
ties other than those in v nich they
are being used.
ALABAMA.-Count farm help blu
reaus organized in counties where
principal cities are located; member
ship usually includes county demon
stration agent, county food admins
traitor. chairman of county council of
defense, a leading farmer and bust
ness man. Through the State Coun-
ell of Defense, 5000 boys are being
mobilized over the State to aid in
the harvest. Definite plans made for
using city men with farm experience
through the aid OF civic associations
and other organizations. with efforts
for the entire release of men from
non-essential occupations. Women
being more generally employed in
positions heretofore held by men,
such as those of elevator operators,
clerks and walters. Cities adopting
effective vagrancy laws.
GEORGIA.-White women organic
ing to pick cotton. and have packed
a large part of the peach crop. Anti
loafing laws forcing able-bodied i'd
lers into work Cities and towns ex-
pected to furnish from $4,000 to 100,
600 emergency farm hands this fall.
Farmers have speeded up their work
and have directed it more intelli-
gently this year than ever before.
KENTUCkY.--Idle being forced
through prosecution and public SEN
timent to take up productive work.
Prejudice of farmers against use OF
bows being overcome; older high
school students giving effective ser
vice City men in business and in
dustries being enlisted for emergency
| farm work. and proving their ability.
! Ways of increasing the efficiency OF
| farm labor being worked out and
! brought to the attention of farmers.
LOUISIANA councils of
defense are having ordinances passed
to close poolrooms, and are using
war emergency service registration
cards for men of from s to so years.
| Tractors running in two shifts and
i24 hours DAY. Negro women
| found to be capable of doing men S
work in fields.
NORTH CAROLINA.-Many pool
rooms closed for the period of the
war Railway industrial agents help
| ing civic and governmental agencies
to man the farms. Farmers speeding
| I'D by using larger implements. Di-
versification of crops allows one sec
! ton to draw harvest labor from
others.
OKLAHOMA. - Mines Slackened
operations and oil operators released
every man who could be spared dur
ing the wheat harvest season. Cities
have refused licenses to resorts of
Zine idle. Farmers co-operated to
buy tractors.
+ TENNESSEE. = Farmers have
worked more days, longer hours and
on Sundays, and have come out of
retirement to go in the fields. Chores
turned over to women and children.
One hundred women reported plow-
ing in one county. Men living in
small towns and owning farms have
worked their lard. Men teachers and
high school boys spending vacations
in farm work. Courts adjourning
and sawmills stopping work during
| the crop season. Better machinery
and more horses being used, while
| tractors work by night as well as
day
TENAS.-Banks have been asked
to finance farmers in bringing in Ia
borers from Mexico, money allotted
for this work by the Governor; TO-
loco men from this source had been
obtained in mid-July.
WEST VIRGINIA. - Banks, fac
tories and stores have released en-
ployes for sho1t-time farm work.
Farm business better organized, far
mers are working longer hours and
harder and helping each other more,
increased numbers of women are in
the fields, idleness is being discour-
aged and boys are doing more work.
Some of these methods of meeting
the labor shortage are being used in
all States, some in one or a few.
From this list, Department of Agri-
culture officials believe, every per-
son or organization interested in
| helping to solve the farm labor prob
lem can find field for effective eff
| fort.