The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-28
OUSLEY DEFENDS HIS ACTIONS

t;vation and harvesting. For years the
cities, with their great fortunes and
bright lights, have been drawing young
men from the farms. The war has
merely precipitated a drift that sooner
or later would have caused more or
less of a food crisis
In peace times that is matter that
might well be left to readjust itself
through such reduced production and
consequent high prices as would make
farming more profitable and attract men
to the industry. But in the war emer-
cency we must have food at all costs,
and since there is no way of getting II
without labor. and since labor IS lack
ing. the cities must sacrifice something
of their comfort and furnish the neces-
sary man power to cultivate and har-
vest the crops. In many towns and
cities last year the business men closed
their establishments or spared numbers
of their employees to help the farmers.
In a few places already business men
are taking surveys sand are making
pledges to furnish labor which has 1arn
experience to the adjoining commune
ties. as may be needed. The same meth
DDS must be put into practice in every
town and city adjacent to farming re-
gion The men of the cities must be
brought to understand the vital impor-
| lance of agriculture. Many of them
| have sneered at it or have regarded II
with Indifference. Now they must lend
! it much of their thought and their CT
| fort They should understand that the
| United States is going to furnish 1000
| to the armies and the civil populations
behind them, and they may depend
| upon it that the farmers will feed them
selves 1t behooves the cities, there
| fore. to take some thought of their own
sustenance bv readjusting their activi-
ties There is hardly business or an
| industry in the United States that can
| not spare temporarily for the cultlVat-
| ing and harvesting seasons consider
able part OF its man power, or even
i close, say, for three to fifteen days dur
\ ing the period as the local need appears.
4 In many such cases women can take the
places of men for the lighter CONNER
cial and industrial tasks, so that the
men who have farm experience may hS
available for farm needs. In many cases
women can do light work on the farm
such as dairying, cultivating vegetables
! and gathering fruit. The details must
| marked out by each community. 1t is
not possible to devise a general system.
] because conditions vary on every farm
and in each neighborhood.
Tn many of the industrial centers
| wages are so high that large num-
Der of men are content to work only
a part of the time fllneF ny puolc
sentiment or industrial regulation-ir
need be, by vagrancy laws-there must
be a full utilization of man power. 1t
is not possible for the national govern
ment to compel or even to direct such
establishments. There is not wisdom
enough in this Congress or in any Con-
gress that could be assembled to solve
all these local and regional problems
States, communities and individuals OF
Influence must take responsibility.
Washington cannot create labor and
should not compel employment. Local
initiative and local responsibility must
be exercised to the fullest extent.
The farmers will do their full duty in
planting The governmental agencies
will do all that they can do. and We
may reasonably expect normal season.
If the people of the communities, espe-
cially of the cities, will assume their
part of the burden there need be no
doubt of the result, but if the cities
persist in plunging for profit and in
ENJOYING their ease expecting the gov
eminent and the farmers to work mir
icles then those who are neither fight
ers nor producers may suffer some pri-
Vatiol "a,