The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-06

To HELP KANSAS
Government VIII Aid Farmers
in Getting Harvest Hands.
Plans Already Being Made To
Solve Labor Problems.
COUNTY AGENTS TO ASSIST
They Will Take Care OF All
Local Demands.
Getting Men for Steady En-
plOyment Big Task.
COUNTY AGENTS TO ASSIST

Washing ton, Feb. 6.-Supplying the
Kansas farms with the labor they will
need next summer, according to the
governments plans, in the last anaIy
sis will depend largely on two rae
tors Greatly improved methods OF
distribution of the available labor ana
intensive cooperation between the
towns and the farms. ia.
The farm labor problem is Two loiu
the demand for steady aH-year-rouhu
hands to replace the young men VINO
have gone into military service anu
temporary employment IN the MAJ ~ -
season of thousands of men neeoeu u
save the Kansas wheat crop. Eve ~,
on.. is hoping Kansas will have pig
wheat crop to be saved, ana the
government is making its ARA hse
Taents to assist in the 1arn ldo '
problem upon that basis. w ME IN
ION of getting thousands OF extra
harvest hands into the state "neh
wheat cutting begins may look IKE
the biggest end of the 1ob, IL lsh | ~. ne
Ia bor department, in co-operaioh wiz
the department of agriculture, Is no"
centering upon the first task OF sup
DIving the call for steady farm hahds'
Postmastcrs to Help.
MANY counties already have county
farm agents; where they 10
county agent is to be the county e.
ing house figuratiVely sped hlile,
In counties not having agents soIIte
I,arson is to be designated as SUCH
according to the plan OF oTsdl'iI1 =,
Then some person is to be oeSlsli@ 80 80
in each town. in many instances ."S,; ~
DoStrna ster to receive the dpPii'.
tions for farm labor. The intention is
tn org = sze the situation down as cIose
IN the farmer as possible IL d i<hi
can't get the help he needs IN ms oM II
connnnitv he will notify the to"h
49, nf his deeds and the wages to
he maid: that in turn, Will go 10 lne
oountv agent and if he isn't IN touch
with men he can send out, ne, III ~ -. II
will send the request on to the cen m az
state employment bureau
Pi,bt now the United States serV-
100 employment bureau IN Kansas
civ is handling all the apphcatioiS
for farm labor for both Kansas anu
Missouri In a few days, tho' d ~,
oral bureau of similar chara cter VIII
be opened i'm Wichita. when VIII nan
die the work for that end OF the STATE
According to A l.. Barkman OF the
recruitment of labor here, the Ran
cas- CITY office to date has filled every
call made Oh it for farm Ia DOT a.
Many $50 a Month Jobs.
"A Kansas banker. in discussing
this situation, recently SAID ne couiu
Mace five hundred farm hands In
Miami county alone at wages up to
$50 a month" Mr.. Barkman sald-
I'VE had the matter investigated we
inquired thru postmasters and other
sources in Miami county ana 1ounu
there was not employment for any
such number OF anything like it, and
no such wages were being offered.
The bureau offered to fill any demands
that might come in and has done so
to date"
1t is the intention, as soon as the
organization gets under way, to issue
a weekly bulletin of farm opportuni-
ties which will indicate type of man
desired accommodations he will have
on the farm. wages. and. in fact,
general description of the job. The
address will not be given, as several
persons might start at once to the
same farm. but instructions will be
given how to get in touch with the
farmer. much as want ads are run
in the Star. The bulletin will
be circulated widely in all country
towns and cities in the adjacent terri
tory and states. one copy being post
ed at each postoffice. 1t is believed
this will result in many men, and in
many instances families, who have
come in off the farm in years gone
by. going back. Especially will this
be true, it is expected, in communi-
have slack ened up work and jobs.
For example. by next summer build
ing of all kinds will be slackened up.
Stop House Building.
Secretary McAdoo has appealed to
the public to stop house building, ex-
Cept as u necessity and all other forms
OF construction that isn't imperative.
All building won't stop in response to
this appeal. but much of ii will In
ability to get material will stop other
work. So while there is excessive
demand for labor in many fields, there
Will be Il distinct slackering up in
utlers. 1t is planned to divert much
OF the unskilled labor as possible to
the farms. These plans may not be
realized. but they are given as the lines