Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-15
NKHAT u0IS ToN SAYS.

II will not he 100 much 10
ask abIe-bodied men with farm
experience 10 aid the farmers
in The necessary task OF main-'
tanning The food supply.
The soldier and the farmer
are eager TO do their full
share Beth incUr risks.
Very many civilians are equally
eager TO do their share but
may not appreciate the Opp0r-
tuHlty 10 serve in the field OF
agriculture.
In certain sections. especially IN
neighborhoods of large industrial
centers. as in the case OF Rock Is
and. there will be farm labor diff
ncuIties 10 overcome this year as
last.
This is according>to statemeEs'
made by David f. Houston, secre-
tary OF agriculture, III discussing
THE City's Part in Solving / he
. Iarm-Labor Problem" Mr. Hous-
ton says:
Some time ago I issued state
ment concerning the fsrm-labor
problem. 1t was pointed out that
there viii be farm labor difiicul-
ties to overcome this year as las;
/ and that in certain sections, espe
: cially in the neigh boThood Of large
industrial centers. the difficulties
will be acute The lines Of effort
: =, l.. q
partments OF agriculture and labor.
/ through representatives in various
states cooperating with the agri-
cultural colleges ana other ageH-
cies, are working to furnish assis -
ance- Briefly restatad, these agen-
( cies are doing the following things
/ tal making a survey of the farm
/ la Dor situation in each community
with a view TO discover possible
SURPRISES OF labor in order 10 b
ready 10 assist in furnishing labor
( wherever it is needed, tbl assist
ing again in shifting labor from
I community to community and from
state TO state, as in past years
tcI promoting fuller cooperation
among farmers in the same com
munity; ID making available 50
Tar as possible. high school boys
in rural districts who have had eE-
/ Derience in farming and who are
I not normally regularly or fully em-
pIOved in farming operations: tej
making every effort to see that
/ there is no obstacle in the way of
the production Of large supply
Of farm machinery and its fulle-
! use as a supplement 10 hand labO,.
Last year, in spite OF all the DIFF
ficulties, the farmers planted the
. largest aCreages in the history OF
/ the nation, harvested record crops
OF most important things except
wheat, and succeeded in greatly in
. Creasing the number of live stock.
Since last year skilled farm labor
has been given deferred classifica-
ton and the secretary of war has
asked for power 10 fuTlOugh sol
dieFs of the national army if their
training permits, so that they may
return 10 their farms and assist II
! is believed that the farmers Of the
nation can, by effective organization
and cooperation, with such assist
ance as can be furnished again
! overcome labor difficulties and pro-
7 duce large quantities of foods, feed
stuffs and live stock.
/ There is an opportunity now for
urban people sympathetical,v and
/ cOnstructively to study the farm
ia Dor situation and to render assist
ance In many towns and cities
. there are men who have had farm
/ ing experience. who are ahIebodied
and who would doubtless be willing
+, to serve the nation in the field OF
agriculture at this time. Especially
! for the seasonal strains OF planting
! cultivating and harvesting il will
not be too much 70 ask such men tC
aid the faFmers i'll the necessary
undertaking of maintaining and. if
/ possible, experimenting, the food