The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-04-04
Information for Farmers
Liable to Draft

hooIS W III
The following letter from Bradford
Knapp to Director w. w. Long is
furnished as information on a very
important matter:
81 wish to call your attention to the
statement from Provost Marshal Cen
eral Crowder on page 2 of the Official
Bulletin of Tuesday, March IL. 1918:
especially to the following paragraphs:
"There are difficulties confronting
the Nation in the supply of labor APP
purtenant to agriculture. Class |,
from which new levies are to be with
drawn, will contain many more men
than are at present required for the
army. 1t would be most unscientifc
and fatuous step if the men in Class
1 were called Unfortunately without
regard to the labor situation in agri-
culture. Therefore, the Local Boards
will be directed to fill their quotas in
the order of liability of men in Class
as determined by the national draw
ing, except that, where it is shown
that registrant is completely and as
siduously engaged in the planting,
cultivation or reaping of crop, his
call to the colors shall be deferred to
the foot of the quota of his board as
long as he continues to be SO engaged.
Whenever any registrant, whose call
to the colors has been deferred by rea
son of his engagement in agriculture,
is shown to have been idle on the farm
on which he is engaged or to have
trif1ed with the deferment that has
been accorded him, the boards will
forthwith induct him into military
service if his order number has been
reached in the meantime. The effect
of this expedient is to grant furloughs
from service prior to actual call to
the colors to the man who is so greatly
needed in the production of this years
crop.
This is not, however, the only ex-
pedlent that is to be adopted to con-
serve the supply of labor appurtenant
to agriculture and to mobilize all
means for increasing the harvest of
the agricultural factors of 1918. There
Is now pending before Congress bill
authorizing the Secretary of War to
grant furloughs, with or without pay.
to men in the army to enable them to
engage in industrial and agricultural
pursuits. The purpose of this bill is
to relieve serious situations in par
ticular instances in which men who
are the main stay of farms have been
lnducted into the service, either
through voluntary enlistment or selec-
ton and whose services during the
present emergency in agriculture are
needed. These furloughs will be
granted after consideration Of the
circumstances of the individual case
in which they arise, and when the mil
itary situation is such that they can
be granted without disruption and dis
organization of the army or any par
ticular organization of the army.
"The furlough law referred to above
has been signed by the President
Please issue a letter calling especial
attention to this matter, as it is one
of the best steps yet taken to preserve
agricultural labor. I especially ask
you to call it to the attention of your
county agents in view of reports COM
ing to me repeatedly of withdrawal of
| praHIf -.
hardship such as ousting them from
houses which they have been renting,
etc. This ought to be published in
every country newspaper, and men in
Glass l, who are engaged in agricul-
ture ought to be advised to continue
in productive agriculture as indicat-
ed"