St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-06-29
COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
ISSUES WARNING FOR
CONCERTED ACTION
Chairman Boasni invites Attendance
at Meeting Called for Next
Monday, July
QUESTION OF CROP HARVEST
COMING FALL SERIOUS ONE
Labor Will be Short and Problem
Confronting Farmers and Others
Presents Phase at Present
Quite Alarming

Mr.. e. NJ. Boagni. chairman o
the st. Landry Council of Defense
himself farmer with vast inter
ests in that particular line, realizins
the crying need now and IN the fu
ture for labor in the fields, has ad
dressed the following letter to 6
large number of prominent citizens
OF the parish:
"You are respectfully invited
to attend meeting to be held
in the United States court room
in the city OF opelousas, at 10
a. M, Monday, July 1.
1.-THE meeting is called by me
in pursuance Of the suggestion
of the State Council of Defense,
and its object and purposes are
to consider the impending short
age Of labor for harvesting and
other purposes It is hoped that
by bringing together representa-
tive men from the different sec
tions of the parish light may be
thrown from their different
standpoints on this all-important
question and some solution may
be arrived at SO as to ADJUST
the matter and relieve the sit
uation.
81 earnestly urge you as
patriotic duty to attend and
give us the benefit of your ideas
and views upon this subject
interviewed Wednesday morning
relative to this call, Mr.. Boagni
stated that he would be glad to have
others attend the meeting in order to
get the benefit of they- views
More people were not asked to at
tend as large meeting as a rule is
not effective. The idea followed
was to get a party very much inter
asted from each section.
Mr. Boagni further stated that the
State Defense Council had already
aiken the matter up and that the
object of the conference in this par
sh is to get in line with national
one in view. 1t is plain, said Mr.. Bo-
agni, that unless something is done,
and done at once, large portion OF
he crop will be lost this fall for
want Of man power to house It. In
REV of the world shortage OF food,
continued Mr.. Boagni, the situation
IS very serious and everyone should
end hand in trying to solve the
problem,
The identical problem facing the
wheat farmers of the west will also
confront the rice men and sugar
of Louisiana and the cotton
farmers Of the entire south within
! few short months. The northern
farmer right now is paying exhorbi-
ant prices for labor prices that are
almost startling; but he realizes
hat he has to save his wheat and
ioes not hesitate to offer attractive
'igures to any laborer. The question
S. will the southern farmers be able
10 secure an adequate supply OF Ia
Dor the coming harvest, no matter
what prices he offers? Already,
wise heads, seeing breakers ahead,
are predicting that the government
viii have to come to the assistance
Of the farmers Of the entire nation IN
order that the immense crop now in
the range Of possibilities will not be
lost or any part Of Il wasted st
Landry parish this year Is said %
have one Of the best crops in its lone
history It would be worse than g
crime TO see any Of it lost. Concert
cd action is required and mere ca
monflage or four-flushing viii not 90