Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-01-03
FARM LABOR SITUATION
To the American peonIe:

inc is first OF all a question of re-
lieYing the present shortage of labor
on American farms.
The National Board OF Farm Or
ganizatlons with full knowledge of
the situation, calls the attention of
The American people in the most sol
emn manner 10 the fact that that
world will be shorter of food before
the great war began. Our superb
victories must not blind us TO the ire
nendous fact that famine treatens
millions of our allies, our recent en-
emies, and even cur own people.
No finer patriotic service was ever
rendered than when our farmers.
short of labor, credit, and farm sup
plies, and with the price artificially
held down still grew more wheat in
1918 than the year before. But in
spite of this superb achievement, the
official figures of the United States
Department of Agriculture show that
our total crop of cereals and their
substitutes this year is 225,000, 900
bushels less than the crop of 1917
Moreover our reserve of grains,
which normally exceeds an average
years crop, except in the form OF
hogs fed on last years corn, is to-
tally exhausted.
In addresses to the President is
sued on January % and February 8,
1918, the National Board Of Farm
Organizations gave public warning
that a serious crop shortage would
come unless certain specified meas
ares were taken without delay. The
shortage forecast is now here.
In the face of this shortage, the |
National Board Administration an
nounces that we must send abroad |
nearly half as much more food in !
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1919, |
as in the year ending June 80, 1918
III $50 600 tons in the present fis- |
cal year instead of 11,S52,O0 tons
in the last. A still later announce
ment by the Food Administration in
creases the total to 22,000,000 tons.
How much this vast necessary in
crease has been or will be added to
by the liberation of northern France.
Belgium, Russia, Serbia, and other
land, we can not tell The new young
democracies now forming must have
our help. Starvation begets anarchy
and chaos Democracy won by the
sword must not be lost through lack
OF food. We know that the addi-
tional demands upon us will be enor-
nous, and that peace brings with it
demands still greater.
Supplies of wheat stored in distant
lands are far smaller than we have
been led to believe. Argentine wheat
has moved normally during the war
and the influence of her exports has
already been discounted India has
surplus of probably not more than
5O,OO0,000 bushels, while the Aus
tralian surplus of $50 900 900 bush
els has suffered so largely from
weevils and other pests that much of
it is unavailable for human food.
Our official food program for 1919 |
calls for the planting of $4,000. 900
acres OF winter wheat, or including
the spring wheat, approximately co.
100000 acres, with feed and forage
crops in proportion. An appreciable
falling off from this program will
bring us face to face with a food |
crisis involving not only this coun-
try, but the world. Meeting the food
demands is n matter purely of farm
labor.
Before we went 10 war the farms |
OF America were short 1000, 900 |
men, The demands of the war have |
now raised this shortage to at least
5000 900. 1t is certain that the in |
dustrial draft on farm labor will con- |
tnue The spring season of 1919
VIII, therefore, find American farms
practically stripped of competent
farm labor and this at a time in
world history when the American
farm is the one guarantee against
world want.
The National Board of Farm Or
CARNATIONS urges the adoption of the
following measures as necessary If
we are to avoid the calamity of food
shortage at home as well as abroad:
i. That labor authorities through
out America call American women
INTO the factories and work shops
The women of France, England and
italy have nobly and efficiently car
ried the burden of production on
farm and in factory Our own
women, who have borne the burdens
OF war so eheerfully are willing to