The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-12
FARM LABOR BIG
PROBLEM OF YEAR
Federal Government Agencies Offer
Numerous Suggestions for Solution
of the Difficulty.

will we do about labor!''
That has been one of the foremost
questions in the farmers mind this
winter. The labor problem has been
and is one of the most important agri-
cultural problems Of the war, and vet
it is not 40 difficult as it appears. The
United States department of asricul-
turc, the United States department Of
labor, state agricultural colleges. and
other agencies are cooperating in eff
forts 10 relieve the situation. Some of
the methods are:
By careful surveys throughout the
United States this winter to learn def
lnltely the farm-labor needs anticipat-
ed IN each section for the spring, sum-
mer and harvest.
To assemble information showing all
possible supplies Of farm labor in every
part of the country.
In every section, to direct all avail
able farm labor to the nearest place
where IT Is needed, and, with changes
of seasons and crops, to continue it to
other sections as il is needed.
To train high school boys and others
old enough for effective farm work bat
not old enough for the army, in some of
the practical fundamentals of farming,
to the end that after a few weeks of
training in camp early this spring they
viii be available for farm work in their
county or community, under the leader
ship and supervision Of competent y.
ii. &. A., Boy Scout, or other directors.
To use as farm help volunteer work
crs from towns and cities, who Will 20
70 farms in their county or community
as crop necessities may require. Pref
erably, of course, these volunteers
should be persons who were reared on
farms, or who have done farm work.
In short, to attack the farm-labor
problem with a frst-liLc force of all
the experienced farm labor that syste-
matte search and patriotic appeals can
develop; to back this up with a second
line Of high school boys and others who
have received intensive training-eamp
courses in farm fundamentals and of
men not engaged in work directly es-
Sential TO the war and who can be
transferred from present pursuits to
emergency farm work; and finally to
throw in the last line of reserves, TO be
applied only in emergencies, workers
who have no farm experience
II would be much better if il were
not necessary to uSc any unframed la
Dor on the farms. Ii would be an ideal
condition if every farm could be com
Pletelv manned with experienced help
this year. However, like MANY ideals.
that viii not be attainablc. The nation
possesses enough potential farm labor
2 a ks tgr Ill 4. l. l /
supplies are efficiently directed to ag-
ricultural pursuits and diverted from
less essential workout this doeSn 7
mean that all the farm labor SO secured
will be experienced in agricultural ac.
tivitv.
Canada 5 food crop production has
been continued despite such shortage
of skilled farm labor as we now face.
1t has been done by rcdirecting the
man and boy power of the country. by
applying TO agriculture classes of labor
that normally would not have sought
that field. We can do the same thing.
And we must--othcrwise we II find Ger.
many running our farms for us. The
farmer mustn { lose sight of what II
viii mean 10 him personally if he fails
70 produce food crops, no matter how
annoying It may he to have to use
some odds and ends of farm help.
And, just as it is a part Of the farm
er 5 patriotic obligation to bear with
and overcome the Inconvenience Of the
situation, So il it the patriotic obiiga-
tion of every man Of farm experience
SO 10 arrange his present affairs that
he can 20 to work where he will be
most needed this spring and summer
and thus give to his country in an hour
ct need the benefit of his skill as a
farm worker. And to the man or hav
without farm training there il an equal
~ clear call Of duty to volunteer for
farm work III his community, to 90 to
farm training camp if there is ore in
his section, and if not to arrange with
some farmer TO give him few weeks =
training, thus fitting him for really cf
fcctivc farm work later in the season.
The shortage of experienced farm
help Is caused only in small part BY the
enlistment or calling to the colors Of
men from the farms Large Plumbers
OF farm workers were attracted 10 man