Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-28

as to the products we should provide as the Green
Mountain States contribution to the total Of food for the
support Of nation and allies in this great conflict
It is true, shall need more wheat, and Vermont
grow wheat good advantage the fathers demonstrated
We should continue dairy industry stated We should
plan larger acreage of beans and potatoes We
should produce pork and poultry and mutton and
more wool as well.
Immediate attention must be given the question of
ample supply labor Vermont however, or many
will be forced to reduce their instead of increasing it,
It easy for armchair farmers to say do this do that
The production of grain and potatoes labor and hard
:aoor. That ia why farm labor is scarce.
Inc farm labor problem in Vermont and elsewhere did not
cons With this world We were facing that great ques-
lion seriously before The problem of the tiae Of population
from rural communities to cities had long engaged the st
enon OF students Of sociology ard economies leg
saors The u*ban tide the Of the country nal
already raised the problem of food production The
with Of eSe or So later
o Bulletin issued BY the Washington authorities lest that the
Office department. whereby all third and post
a9ens an Hia s are to BE- appot labor
partment Of labor
we have noted in With the farm abor pTb
There are approximately 900 postal employees who will thus
creasng production they will bring Uncle Sans la
Dor service directly into touch with the farmers of Vermont
The third and fourhcass postmasters throughout the
country and the rural carriers will be used ascertain
and farmers together Each postmaster will endeavor first
fill for workers received from farms his locality
the postmaster viii send applications to the nearest district
office OF the United States employment service
1t interesting to note this connection propo
to tze the as labor agents for the
e out Of by Aeny
OF labor At that time the plan was intended to help the
to meet the need of our farms for LABOR "
win hundreds OF thousands of being drained
service Of the United States entirely different currents
nave been started One of these from the supply of
from the cities and ali sorts Of industries from which under
ordinary circumstances farm labor might be recruited
multiply production is thus made dcuSy difficult s' The
federal postal department will simply furnish the machinery
4a Ter % @ from deness the rural communities and
be ss bx p1Vs these ~ are to
We aid in this connection by gancing at the ex
of They have been forced to meet conditions I %e
ours ana more They have found the difficulty in
tried solve It in different ways Vs. a00f lney nave
M Inc European substitution of for men in tlling
1t so unusual in America In some European countries
have long done manual labor the farms and it has
sey on woman labor for farm work during than it
aoopted IN some cases in America.
Another remedy in beigerent countries has been the
en- @ OF soldiers and resersts in convenient localities
~ ~ tne SOIL Army measures being made favorable
TO TINS Europe and civilians have been exempted
nao M in order that they might render aid for the
"atlon IN the held of agriculture.
IN August 1916 for example the British government
temporarily released $4,000 soldiers assist in the harvest
these men allotted different districts upon application
u through the local labor exchanges that would cor
respond under our federal order postal agencies This
States ~ r " viz O"''
In Vermont other States however it will he neces
say provide of labor before the time for sprng
work. else farmers in instances put all the seed
in the ground needed future harvest We
nere the last son has left the farm in this ne and the
aher ~ alone In than one farm Is on the
hands, and the cultivation one farm must be abar
Gomez until labor tino
Under these circumstances another employed IT.
cGua De utilized right tie United States
order TO help get SEED in t the coming two or tnrae
months Duvng the 1916 Britain tried volunteer move
en 10 :eo2re labor for the ing of the soil This project
fesaed me 1eSs1stos of large number OF school
eS toyg ciel ks and military age The n|ar
worked we'll anil doubtless would succeed in tie United Stptes
also. Wv ~ '"'''
r France the rga: u modified farmers to work on their
farms at opportune time was recognized The general
andirG certain district cooperated the farmers of
that region IN this way French commissioner on agri
cultural labor listed Belgian and refugees Various
other plans combined with these.
Germany DEVOTED special attention to the harvesting
Britain and France have found prisoners so sumssve