Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-03-21
Farm Markets Bulletin No. "a
Boise, Ida, March IL, 1918.
Labor

DolSe, lda., March IL, 1918.
Labor
i o m personal observation
and information at hand, | am
convinced that if all labor with
IN the state can be modified and
~ cooperative effort, employed
with a minimum Of lost motion.
we VIII have sufficient within
Our borders to handle the crops
OF this year with little loss.
In order to obtain this COOP
Grafton, organization has been
effected, through the Farm Bu-
reaus, County Agricultural Ag-
ents, Councils Of Defense and
Farm Markets Department, and
by these agencies a scale of
wages has been recommended
which it is hoped will govern
the employment Of farm labor
for the productive period now
before US.
In order to make effective.
this plan and insure the best
service obtainable, it is absolute
ly necessary that every farmer
employing men and men being
employed, work in accord with
those recommendations. The in
terest Of both the employer and
the employee demand co-opera-
tive support Of this plan.
The wage recommended is as
nearly Just as it is possible to
make it and have it apply to the
agricultural part of the state as
a whole. While it may be true
that local conditions could prob
ably have been better served
with slight variations from this
recommended scale, yet it is i'm
perative that the same wage be
paid in every part for like SER
vice, if we are to expect the lab
orer to be contented and give
reasonable satisfaction.
The wage offered is all far
mer can afford to pay and it is
better than that obtainable in
almost any other section of the
United States for common labor
We Frequently hear men say that
rather than work for the wage
recommended. they will enlist in
the ship building service and 90
to the coast. Men who make
such remarks don't know. or are
i'll advised regarding the wages
paid at the ship yards. They are
perhaps led to believe that be-
cause skilled laborers of voca-
tons adapted to the require
ments receive a big wage. they
too can strike a snap" The
wage paid common laborers at
the ship yards is only S3.57 a
day, and from this they must
pay all expenses incidental to
living in a large city. There is
now assembled on the Pacific
coast in the vicinity of the ship
yards, hundreds of men without
special training for the labor re-
quired. These are now seeking
employment on the farms or in
the mines and woods of the
Northwestern states.
A survey of the man power OF
the state available for agricul
tural purposes is now being
made, and if it is found on com
pletion of this survey that we
do not have available a suffici
ent supply to make reasonably
safe the growing and harvesting
of Idaho'S crops. ! am given as
surance by representatives OF
the Federal Labor Department
that we will be able to obtain
through them. from the Pacific
coast cities, an ample supply o
labor. | have reason to believe
| this is dependable and that theS'
men are now anxious to come t
Idaho and accept this eXcellen
wage recommended. If so, al
men who are now residents O
Idaho and needing employment
will do we'll to secure it at al
early date. and make sure tn
service which our farmers pre-
fer to obtain from residents O
the state. rather than bring il
outsiders or tranSientS.
From the enlistmentS now be
| ING made in the United State