The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1918-01-17
FARM LABOR TO
Be CONSIDERED
State Labor Official Goes To
st. Louis For Meeting Of Gov
errm ent Labor Chiefs.
STATE CAPITOL NEWS
What is Transpiring in the Different
Departments Where the Affairs Of
State Government Are
Administered.

Administered.
Bismarck
John N. Hagan. commissioner
Of agriculture and labor OF
North Dakota has been called to St
Louis, to confer with labor chiefs OF
the United States department of agri.
culture, and labor officers of states
in the Mississippi valley district, to
consider the question of farm labor.
Throughout the grain growing
regions OF central United States, the
farm labor problem has become ex.
ceedingly acute because so many vi
the trained young men on the farms
have gone into military service, while
the nations labor, heretofore avail
able, has been absorbed by war in
dustries in the east.
There is need for speedy action
and thorough attention to the prob
lem If the farmers are to be assured
sufficient labor the coming year," said
Commissioner Hagan, on thu eve OF
his departure for st. Louis. TIE
taking of so many young men into the
army has taken from the farms the
most valuable kind of trained labor
and we face a difficult problem in
replacing it.
However, with the department OF
agriculture cooperating with the s3v.
eral states, and with federal deputy
labor agent iii each state, we are
hopeful for action that will solve the
problem and make available the nee
, essary supply of labor"
Auto Department. Earns Big Sum.
The motor vehicle registra.
ton business of North Dakota in
1917 earned the state 1,536.12 for
better highways, and there already
has been collected $15,546.40 in pay.
ment for 1910 automobile tags issued
for 1918. The department had SIG.
S. on hand January /, 1917, and du.
ring tie year ending January /, 1913
1t disbursed $195,03275 in receipts
from 1917 business and $4,000 in re-
ceipts from 1918 business. The bal
ance on hand January 1, 1918, was
$29,318.99, showing total business
for the year of $227,352.74.
Cass county paid $1O,7S1.50 into
the automobile registration depart
ment and drew out $2.997.11 for the
Improvement of its highways by the
county. Grand Forks paid $S.l08 and
drew $2.253; Ward paid s9.2lS,50 and
drew s2,562.G2; Burleigh paid $4,s31
and drew $l.343.55.
Predicts Use Of Food Cards.
Sugar, bread and -four cards for
North Dakotans, unless there Is a de
cided change in conditions, are pre-
aicted by DR.. w. F. I.add, state food
administrator. The license system
for hotels and all public eating
houses also is predicted DR.. I.add ad
vocates the latter method as the
most efficient way of dealing witt,
the food situation.
"lnasmucl as the government has
stabilized wheat prices" he said
the price of other products should
be stabilized, for only IN this way
, can the food situation be properly
handled"
Flour prices, he declared, are too
high, and this is keeping the price
of bread up. Recently tie Federal
food administration at Washington
issued bulletin to the effect that
bread should sell in North Dakota at
s cents.
Hopes For Short Session.
Governor Frazier expresses the hone
that the coming special session Of the
legislature will be confined to four
days, Jan. %, "a, 25 and 2G, adjourn.
ing the Saturday evening following.
The executive under the constitution
can only express this as his desire or
lrge 1t as suggestion.
Although the session is called to
act under the seed situation. under the
constitution of North Dakota there is
40 limit upon the time which legis.
lature, gathered in extraordinary as.
sembly, may remain in session. nor
upon the matters which it may con.
slider, and several other subjects may
De taken up
May Ratify Prohibition.
The legislature of North Dakota,
which was the first state to be ad.
United to the union as q rohibition
state, may ratiy he naional prohibit.
ton amendment when 1t meets in
special session at the call of the
governor. If it does, "a more states
i'll IT, needed before national pdo.
hibition becomes effective. Favorable
action by SO states is necessary
Mississippi has already ratified the
national amendment.
Ignite Prices Adjusted.
Misunderstanding between the
federal fuel administration for North
Dakota and the North Dakota Ignite
association were Strengthened out In
conference between officers of tic
association and Captain I. p. Baker
fuel administrator for North Dakota
when It was explained that the price
of $3.50 set for Ignite coal at thu
mouth Of the mine applies to Goa