The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-18
PRICES
TO SOAR IN CITY
Reckless bidding for Labor Of Farm
Workers 90 Send Food
Higher.

Washington. Feb. 17.--Rsckiess bid
ding for farm labor. coupled with re-
curing periods of car shortage during
the next few months. will com hine to
force prices of many farm products to
now high level. according to de-
pArtmens OF agriculture experr~ @st
returned from inspection and investi-
CATION tours TO many of the larger
farming sections of the country. with
in { few days the production program
OF tho department will be is~ied and
the farmers stint for the conRng year
Will be outlined definitely by the gov
eminent.
Although the food administration Is
doing its utmost to stabilize prices. the
increased wages which farmers In
many sections must pay for help will
he reflected in high prices for the
farm products. As an evidence OF the
del line in available farm labor Ciar-
ence Ousiey. assistant secretary of the
department of agriculture. today said:
II have Just returned from the Nor
folk district. This district com priaes
five counties which together produce
as much farm truck "a any other dis
rtct In the country. In gTeat part the
'uHbdS" anu NplHfW@n ana potatoes
sold in New York city come from this
district. Yet within the, last three
months. because of Inducements to
labor held out by plants being erect
ed by the government for manufacture
OF war supplies. thes~ truck farms
have lost two-thirds of their labor
Prioes Here VIII Risc.
There can be no doubt that there
VIII ne a decrease in production from
the Norfolk section and that. under
the law Of supply and demand. New
York prices for vegetables will rise
or course the greater number of home
gardens will helm prevent any rise In
prices. as the Norfolk products thiS
year VIII 60 largely to tn" big cities
instead or to some OF the smaller
rinces where It is possible for the
householder To plant garden"
In preparation of this program
ten skilled invw'gators were sent to
various sectior4 of the country TO
gnther exact data as to labor short
aSe and the indications for Increased
acreage. without exception their re.
ports hrve-~ proven extremely dis
appointing to government officials.
The reports show that the food
tide Of tho mfHration OF farm helm
to the cities has mot been reached
and that with the passage Of every
month tho man power Of the farms is
suffcring severe losses. Letters are
being written TO government depart
ments whose activities have been a
fe.ctor in drawing the farm laborer to
Industrial fields and every effort short
OF new laws II being urged to pre-
vent a collapse In the food produc-
tfvity Of the country.
pOytmasters 60 Assist.
The department OF labor again
Will call on postmasters OF third and
fourth class Offices to aid III recruit
ing labor. All rural delivery mail
csrriers will be supplied with appk-
cation blanks. which can he filled
out by farmers or nv farm laborers.
By this method II IL hoped to get an
accurate estimate OF the labor needs
of the farmers and also work out
a system by which the labor supply
In many sections can be shifted to
meet the peak load of production OF
thu various crops.
II In reported that central Tennes-
see also has been hard hit BY the in.
crease In Industrial demands recent
ly Farm laborers have gone with n
spurred by hopes of high wages and
having little regard for their pros
pects when the erection OF the fac
tories IL com pieted.
Reports from the middle West and
the corn bait are similar In their i'm.
rort. IT fS estimated that ut least
$4,000 negroes have left corn and
cotton. neads Of the Southern states.