Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1918-04-05
Secretary of Agriculture Points
Out City's Part in Food
Production.
CITIZENS MUST help OUT
If Soldiers Are Willing to Risk Their
Lives Civilians Can Well Afford to
Spare Time to Serve in Ear-
vest Field.
BY DAVID F. HOUSTON,
Secretary of Agriculture.

0CCICkuIy vi
Washington.-Som time ago is
sued statement concerning the farm
labor problem. 1t was pointed out that
there will be farm labor difficulties TO
overcome this year as last and that IN
certain sections, especially in the
neighborhood of large industrial CEN
tiers, the difficulties will be acute. The
lines of effort were indicated along
which the departments of agriculture
and labor, through representatives in
various states cooperating with the
agricultural colleges and other agen-
cies, are working to furnish assistance.
Briefly stated, these agencies are doing
the following things: (a) making
survey of, the farm-labor situation in
each community with view to discov-
err possible surpluSeS of labor, in order
to be ready to assist in furnishing Ia
Dor wherever it is needed; (b) assist
ing again in shifting labor from COM
munity to community and from state to
state, as in past years; (c) promoting
fuller cooperation among farmers in
the same community; (d) making
available, so far as possible, high
school boys in rural districts who have
had experience in farming and who are
not normally regularly or fully en-
ployed in farming operations: (e) maxi
ing every effort to see that there is no
obstacle in the way of the production
of a larger supply of farm machinery
and it's fuller use as a supplement to
hand labor.
National Army May Help.
Last year, in spite of all the difficult
ties, the farmers planted the largest
acreages in the history Of the nation,
harvested record crops of most impor-
tant things except wheat, and sue
ceeded in greatly increasing the num-
Der of live stock. Since last year
skilled farm labor has been given de-
ferred classification and>the secretary
of war has asked for power to furlough
soldiers of the National army if their
training permits, so that they may re-
turn to their farms and assist It is
believed that the farmers of the ma
ton can, by effective organization and
cooperation, with such assistance as
can be furnished, again overcome la
Dor difficulties and produce large guam
titles of foods, feedstuffs and live
stock.
There is an opportunity now for ur-
ban people sympathetically and con-
constructively to study the farm-labor
situation and to render assistance. In
many towns and cities there are men
who have had farming experience, who
are ablebodied, and who would doubt
less be willing to serve the nation in
the field of agriculture at this time.
Especially for the seasonal strains of
planting, cultivating and harvesting, it
will not be too much to ask such men
to aid the farmers in the necessary I'M
dertaking of maintaining and, if pos
sible, supplementing, the food supply
in order to feed the armies and to sus.
tain the civilian population behind
them.
Civilians Should Help.
If soldiers are willing to serve in
The trenches, to dig ditches build rail-
roads and risk their lives, many civil
fans can well afford to spare a part
of their time to serve in the burrows
and in the harvest fields. If it appears
that the farmers of a community or
region are not able to secure the nee.
essary labor by the usual methods,
then the leaders in the town or city
Immediately dependent upon that re-
gion should organize, establish touch
with representative farm leaders, and
;o% IT, kEa
problem. In so doing they will not
only aid the farmers of the nation, but
they will vitality contribute to their
own well-being and to that of their
community.
The farmers are willing to do all
that they humanity can, but where their
labor supply cannot be furnished from
the ordinary sources, it must be re-
cruited from those whose very sus-
tenance depends upon the farmers.
The soldier and the farmer are eager
to do their full share; the soldier is
taking the chances of losing his life
and the farmer is risking the labors
of a year on the chance of the seasons;
both incur risks. Very many civilians
are equally eager to do their share,
but may not appreciate the opportunity
to serve in the field of agriculture.
The departments of agriculture and
labor will render every possible aid,
but each community knows its own
problems, and urban people, especially
business men, could cooperate effec-
lively with the farmers and also rem
der much assistance.