Jackson County journal., 1918-05-10
Question Which Should Be- en..
Serious Consideration BY
Farmer.
One SOLUTION is oFFEP|n
GOOD Homes, Fair Wages and
Privileges Will Attract pss;,,,' "s
Men Who Understand Faru
Work.

Washington.-The supply ~ 49,
ent farm labor-note the word o..laa' ~
ent-will not be assured in NAM alF a
tions of the country, and u sec'
farms, at least, in every section "a o.F
country, unless more attractive r., aie
conditions are offered the fsmi,,a. .
hired hands on farms. VI
War conditions cause .o
problem that can be solved owl aJO'
emergency methods. Throuybou. -.
nation communities will so,ra -,
war problems of farm labor sb,..1 'H
by utilizing as temporary farm ~
town volunteers and high school ho-s
by diverting to agricultural oct;r,.-
man power that would not and oon,,
not be so used except In real ema.
gency. But the town men Of farm a.
perience who go to the fields This sn-n.
and summer and fall will be octr.,os
solely by patriotism rather than ~
financial return of the under,tinr
They are going back to town 90 soo,
as their war work on farms is fnisbo,
And, while their services are yasflr
valuable from war standpoint thsv
are not helping at all to solve the prot.
lem OF permanent farm help. But tbs
man who expects to work ON farm
steadily, year in and year out, Is M.
foundly interested in the question a
housing, living conditions and net r.
muneration for farm work as comnerai
with town work.
Provide Good Homes.
The attitude of thousands of married
men who are skilled farm workers
who have left the country to find town
employment, but who will return TO
farm work permanently provided farm
living conditions are comparable In or.
dinary comforts to those in town. is
expressed in this letter recently Dub.
llshed in a Texas paper:
II am sending in my view Of the
farm labor problem. have been try.
Ing to get job on the farm the las.
month; still trying to do so. can find
plenty Of jobs for single man
but the farmers so far as have found
have no tenant houses, or If they have
one 1T would not make a good stable.
Most of the farmers that have found
Will not permit a farm hand to raise
garden or chickens or hogs or own
COW or horse, and the prevalent pay
Is insufficient to support a family un.
der such conditions. 1 believe If the
farmers would build comfortable
houses and either pay better wages or
give more privileges, 1t would be the
city man calling for help instead Of the
farmers"
There are many evidences OF an In
creasing desire on the part Of men with
families, now living In towns and ct.
les but with experience as skilled farm
workers, to go back to the country.
They left the farm because they be
Heved they could make more money, get
more satisfaction out of life, give more
pleasures and opportunities to their
families in town. Many have been dis
appointed. They are willing to return
to the farm at q smaller cash wage
than they receive in town, II they haTe
a fairly good house and are allowed 10
have garden and raise a few pigs
and perhaps have the use Of COW.
Labor Problem Remains.
What about it? You are a farmer
and you are looking for permanent
farm help; not only emergency hep
to produce and harvest war crops bu.
man or men to live on your farm anu
work the year round. Are your tenal.
houses the kind Of places man wouu
like for his family to call home! are
they the kind you would like TO i've
In?
"Oh!" you say, 'The other man y
looking for a Job and am not. OWL
the farm; he wants to work on III.
farm. Do you expect the hired han.
to have as good a house as the owner
If he doesn't like this house ne GU
leave it,"
Well, the trouble is that is just Wla'
he will dO-and you will continue
have a farm labor problem on you
hands. OF course no one expects iH'
hired hand to have as good house 4
the farmer: But he does want a cO.--
Portable place for his family 10 i've r
and failure to find that on the tarIus :
one of the reasons for the steadil! y
creasing supply of permanent l. \
help in recent years.
1t may not please the farmer TO ~.
the fact; nevertheless the truth ! III.
the skilled farm hand is in a poSi'i.-
to be quite as independent about II
as the farmer Iilse'-,
When the farmer says "Take this A'1.s
or leave it," the really first-clas' IT.
knows he can get good JoD e'-
he leaves!
So it may be profitable fol SUI
farmers-not all, of course-to 'ii,.
that over, bearing in mind tha' Il.
ter of the Texas man to the effect ln.
If the farmers will offer their pefiii'.a =
ent help good houses, fair wages -. -,
some privileges. "it will be the ,ha
man calling for help instead Oh