The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-01-29

if they can but obtain the needed
money with which to buy seed and
have an assurance of farm help to
care for the crop. From available
information, we are convinced that
there is a shortage of good seed, oats,
wheat, barley, rye and especially corn.
That the prices asked for good seed |
will be unusually high And we rec
Ommend that the various county coun- /
ellis of defense be urged to encourage
the saving and holding OF the neces-
sary seed in our state.
Waving the question of constitu- /
tionality and of moral right involved
in the conscripting of labor for pri- /
vate industry, the difficulty of en-
forcement looms large. Harvey ALI !
red, of the state farm markets bu-
reau, and himself a member of the
council raised it pointedly in a recent
interview with Times reporter when
he suggested that it would be hard
to get such labor to work profitably.
Suppose that the man ,conscripted re-
fused to work, or failed to work as
fast as the employer thought he
should; what then? Or suppose that,
as might happen in rare cases, the
man to whom he was sent should not
treat him well. how would be get off
to complain, and what would be done
with the complaint, if he should? We
are not knocking We are simply
raising some questions that must be
met We do not mean that they can
not be answered to the satisfaction Of
employer and employee We believe
that the number of idle laborers in
the state has been over-estimated, but
that is beside the point. How are you
going to handle the matter? Again
The state regulation of wages if ex-
tended to all branches and if it should
involve a considerable reduction is
bound to make trouble.
Then suppose that adjoining states
should not have similar regulations,
and laborers should want to leave
here and go there; what then? For
how long should CONSUMPTION last.
and what provision would be made for
caring for the laborer when times
grew slack and work ceased? Or i'll
the other states did have such regula-
ton and failed to enforce it, in hope
of drawing workmen from Idaho, what
could be done to prevent their emil
grafton?
You know the history of this very
sort of legislation covering several |
centuries of failures Men tried it in
England. But when an employer
wanted to get results he resorted to
bonuses or presents in spite of laws
to the contrary. and so wages went
up regardless of the statutes
But there is another phase of the
matter When the war broke out
union labor, that is. legitimate union
labor. that affiliated with the Ameri- |
can Federation of Labor, stood firmly |
by the country. The Socialist party
divided, most Of the Socialists voting
in the referendum, casting votes
against war. But large element re-
manned loyal and finally most of the
disloyal element became convinced /
and lined up
The 1. w. w. proved disloyal. This /
the TIMES denounced and still does.
The Times then and now believes that
the best thing that could happen would
be the organization of unorganized
labor either in mass society like the
old Knights of Labor or as branch
OF the American Federation of Labor
1t has offered that as substitute for
DISCRIMINATION on one hand and sedi-
ton on the other. It believes that
the council of defense might take up
the work of furthering such organi-
zation with profit
But what we want to call attention
to at this time is the fact that labor
is heartily with some exceptions, in
favor of the government and of win
ming the war. 1t has become convinc-
ed that President Wilson means we'll
by labor and that this war is the CON
flict of humanity against autocracy
and privilege Union labor has de-
! clared against labor consumption for
private enterprise. Unorganized labor
feels the same way Premier Lloyd
George says LABOR MUST WIN
/ THIS WAR" We all know that with
out his telling US; but his talk re-
minds US. In order for labor to win
the war it must throw itself into the
conflict I'm a wholesouled manner,
must perform the particular tasks be-
fore it with enthusiasm. This is
truism. We are not discussing wheth
er it ought to welcome the sort of leg
islation proposed, but we are inter
ested in considering whether it will
do So If labor can be converted to
this sort of legislation, well and good.
We approve of the purpose If the