The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-31
WAR DEPARTMENT CHANGES ATTITUDE ONLABOR QUESTION Right of States to Regulate Procuring Agents Finally
 Recognized TEST CAME ON CASE OF ALABAMA FARMERS \ These, as We'll as Others in South, Protested Against Being Robbed
 of Help by Government
 Contractors
Fly HUGH W. ROBERTS


 Washington, May 3O.-(Special )-The war department has finally reconized the right of the separate states to enact laws having for their object the curtailment of the efforts of precurers of labor.
 The test came as result of an Ala bama case, and the final verdict of the department followed one previously ar rived at to the contrary. In the begin ming, the war department, armed with an opinion of enc of it's attorneys. took the position that irrespective of Ala bama law, the government could induce labor to desert it's employer and enter the service of the government.
 Agents, by offering free transportation, medical attention and high wages, were practically robbing the farms of Alabama of it's labor in order that government works at Muscle Shoals, under contract. might be completed. Alabama registered a violent protest-as did Tennessee. Mis- sissippi, Georgia and Florida. in which states similar activity had become pro- Foanced. Members of Congress bore tae complaints to the various depart ments but very little headway could be made. Florida officials, under Flori- da law, arrested several of the agents of the contractors and these agents then appealed to the government.
 STEAGALL GETS BUSY
 Representative Steagall of the Third Alabama was one of the most insistent agitators against the contractors in the service of the government taking the labor from the farms. He argued that the production of food was as essential to the success of the war as the completion of government works. In the beginning, however, he was up against a stone wali"
 Agents who had been temporarily frus- trated by state laws, had taken appeal, and, sustained by the government, pre- scented cards from the war department declaring that their action had govern ment sanction.
 Later, however, as result of insistent efforts and forceful legal argument, MT Steagall persuaded the war department that it's position was untenable, and the war department withdrew authority pre- viously extended to agents of contrac- tors
 ENTIRE SOUTH DISTURBED
 From practically every section of the south farmers send complaint to Wash iEgton that they cannot procure labor for the production of food, and that when it is procured they cannot retain it B. l.. Moss, managing editor of the Pro- gressive Farmer, printed in Birmingham is now urging members of the Senate to defeat a provision of the agricultural appropriation bill which would prevent the payment of any moneys appropriated to men of draft age. MT. Moss is very fearful lest that section will seriously interfere with farm demonstration work, especially in the organization of boys and girls clubs-interfere with greater production in general. The agricultural bill, however, in it's original form con- tained a section which might have sig nally interfered with the farmer in his efforts to retain labor and produce. That section would have given to the Secretary of Agriculture the right to mobilize men for farm work when such men were not already employed in such work and in such work deemed by the secretary neces- sary.
 ALABAMIANS FIGHT
 MT. Steagall led the fight in the House against that section. It was his point that the necessity of farm laborer's work should not be made discretionary with the Secretary of Agriculture. NHe declared that that function would be discharged not by the secretary but by some of his agents, and that these agents. if they saw fit. could by merely waving their hands deprive farmer of his help and place that help in other fields.
 As a result of his efforts, the section was amended so as to read that the sec retary could mobilize men for farm work when such men were not already em- ployed on the farm. Following the adop. tion of his amendment, the House found the section objectionable still, and struck it from the bill.
 The question of labor on the farms on account of high wages paid by the gov ernment contractors in Sheffield and else where, has become acute throughout the south. Southern members of Congress are determined as far as possible to stand by the farmer, for they believe tha. the farmer must produce and feed the world if American armies are to be suS FrI oh