The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-16
FARM LABOR SHORTAGE
IN SOUTH BEING MET
Farm Help Bureaus Esta blished--
Women Employed--Antt-loa
Laws--Banks Finance Farmers.
Especial to The Richmond virginian

/
! Especial to The Richmond virginian J
| Washington. d. c., Aug, I5.--Scores
| of ways by which harvest help for
J southern farmers already has been
provided or assured were told at the
United States department of agricul-
lures 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 viii be
| found valuable in communities other
than those In which they are being
used
Alabama-County farm help bu-
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 a bust
ness man. Through the state coun-
Gil of defense, 5000 boys are being
modified 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.
gia-White women organizing
TO pick cotton, and have packed a
large part of the peach crop. Anti
loahng laws forcing able bodied idlers
into work. Cities and towns expected
to furnish from $4,000 to 100000 en-
Urgency farm hands this fall, Farm
ers have speeded up their work and
have directed it more intelhgently
this year than ever before
Kentucky.Idlers being forced
through prosecution and public senti-
ment TO take up productive work.
Prejudice of farmers against use of
boys being overcome; older high
school students giving effective serv-
ice. City men in business and indus
tries 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 farmer
Louisiana-County councils of de-
Tense are having ordinances passed to
close poolrooms. and are using war
emergency service registration cards
for men of from eighteen to fifty
years. Tractors running in two shifts
and twenty -four hours a day. Negro
women found to he capable of doing
mems work in fields.
North Carolina--Many poolrooms
closed for the period of the war Rail
way industrial agents helping civic
and governmental agencies TO man
the farms. Farmers speeding up by
using larger implements Diversified
ton of crops allows one section to
draw harvest labor from others.
Oklahoma-Mines slackened oper-
ations and oil operators released every
man who could be spared during the
wheat harvest season. Cities have re-
fused licenses to resorts of the idle.
Farmers co-operated to buy tractors.
nnessee--Farmers have worked
more days, longer hours and on Sun
days, and have come out of retirement
! to 90 in the fields Chores turned
over to women and children. One
hundred women reported blowing in
one county. Men living in small
towns and owning farms have worked
their land. Men teachers and high
school boys spending vacations In
farm work. Courts adiourning and
sawmills stopping work during the
crop season. Better machinery and
more horses being used, while trac-
tors work by night as well as day.
| TeXas--Banks have been asked TO
| finance farmers in bringing in laborers
| from Mexico money allotted for this
work by the governor. 10000 men
from this source had been obtaine d
| in mid-July.
West Virginia-Banks, factories
and stores have released employees tor
short time farm work. Farm bust
ness better organized, farmers are
| working longer hours and harder
and helping each other more, in
creased mum bers of women are in the
| fields. idleness is being discouraged
! and boys are doing more work.