The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-16
That Many Will Be Required
for the Kansas Harvest.
Mines, Factories and Shops
Will Be Asked To Aid.
3 COUNTIES REQUIRE 5000
Many Hands Must Be Brought
From Other States.
MOhIer Will Ask Railroads To
Reduce Rates.

the new wheat crop. At least one-half
of these men must come from other
states. Mines, factories. shops, whole
sale houses and even labor organiza-
tions are to be asked to release men
for. fifteen days work in the wheat
fields.
In conference today with ]. C. Moh-
Ter, secretary of the state board of
agriculture, Representatives Frizell,
of Pawnee county, and Wilson, of
Hodgeman county, asserted that not
less than 10000 men would be re-
auired to handle the mammoth crop
Eleven million acres of wheat are to
be harvested in June-mOre than dou-
BILE the acreage cut in Kansas in 1917
and 1918 Labor in the wheat grow
ing counties and from the eastern half
of the state can care for five million
acres, it was stated. Other states
must send enough men to harvest six
million acres
5000 for Three Counties.
Three counties Barton, Ford and
Pawnee-wilI each require 5000 men
for the harvest Twenty other wheat
counties will require 5000 men each in
excess of the natural labor supply.
Wages in excess of those ever paid for
farm work in Kansas will be paid by
the wheat growers this year. Repre-
sentative FrizelI stated that compe-
tent laborers would be able to earn
from so to so cents an hour with board
and lodging thrown in.
Never in the history of the state has
the demand for harvest help been so
great. The demand for this year is
practically so per cent greater than
any previous call. The greatest for
mer demand for labor was a call for
$4,000 men when the record wheat
crop of 1914 was harvested. Then
were cut and the harvest was 1S1 mil
lion bushels of grain.
This year with an acreage of ap-
proximately eleven millions the Kan
sas wheat crop is expected to thresh in
in excess of 200 million bushels. The
value of the states crop will exceed
400 million dollars and the yield will
represent one-fourth of the nations
winter wheat productions -7sss=sze5-
Fifty Acres to the Man.
The demand for harvest hands is
based on the ability of one man to
harvest fifty acres of grain in fifteen
days. For each million acres of
growing wheat the state must have
10000 harvesters. 1t is the predlc-
ton of Secretary Mohler that prac-
will be harvested. Never in the his
tory of Kansas has the uniform show
ing been so favorable.
Representatives from the big wheat
counties are going before chambers of
commerce, commercial clubs and en-
p1oyers of labor in a request for aid in
! gathering the big crop. The mines of
southeastern Kansas will be asked to
release their men for two or three
weeks of the harvest season. The
same request will be made at the big
shops and factories.
"The average business man has 365
days in the year for his work. said
Representative Frizell. "The Kansas
wheat grower has approximately fif-
teen DAYS If the crop or a portion
of the crop is lost, it hits every in
dustry and business activity in the
state. We simply must have every
available worker for this emergency.
And the wages will warrant their
| services
/ In the southern counties the Kansas
/ harvest will probably begin June g..
Not until late in the month will the
harvest begin in the northwestern dis
! trict. Yet it is virtually impossible 10
move the harvesters from one county
| to another The mass of men who
| come for the wheat gathering season
will remain in one district until after
the grain is threshed. That is the his
tory of former crop seasons in Kansas.
| Seek Reduced Rates.
At this time Secretary Mohler is
! seeking reduced rates for harvest
! hands. The railroad administration
has thus faor failed to make reductions
in fares. Nor has it indicated relief.
/ Senator Charles Curtis and other
members of the Kansas delegation will
present the demand in Washington
Thus far the railroad administration
has called attention to its deficits. 1t
has seemingly given no consideration
TO the enormous revenues in freight
which will come to the railroad ad-
ministration thru the movement of the
states record crop.
| UNLESS we can secure railroad con-
! cessions in passenger rates to the har-
/ vesters, 1 don't see how we are to get
the men from other states" Secretary
| Mohler stated. 1--WE have been told
that the crop of 1918 was gathered
without a passenger rate concession.
{, Yet the crop this year represents an
acreage equal to that cut in two for
mer seasons"
Wheat growers propose to send men
into every section of Kansas as well
as into other states in an effort to Sc
cure the men needed to gather the
states greatest crop-a crop that
means nearly half billion dollars in
revenue.