Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-12-05
LABOR STRIKES and FARMERS.

Many writers are Of opinion that
the present industrial strikes are but
the mobillzng Of the forces of or
ganlZcd labor for the express pur-
pose of gaining control Of the Amer
lean Government and industries. If
this is correct. the United States is
confronted with one Of the most
serious situations in its history. If, as
some believe, organized labor is strik
ing at the foundations Of oar dcmoc-
racy, every loyal American citizen,
and especially every American farm
er, should throw his utmost influence
into the struggle against labor be-
fore the center of Bolshevism is
TRANSACTED from Russia to America.
Heretofore, in the strife between
capital and labor, the farmer has sat
quietly by as disintercstcr spec
tator, not realizing that every con-
fiict between these two forces had a
vital effect on him and his future.
Industrially America is divided inc
three distinct classes: Capital, labor
and agriculture. do not wish to
breed antngonis,n and stir up class
feeling, but facts should he plainly
discussed. The farmer no only feeds
both classes but feeds the world, and
is the foundation on which must rest
the prosperity Of both capital and
labor. No discussion of the contro-
versy between capital and labor can
lead to just conclusion that does
not take into consideration its effect
on agriculture.
1t requires certain total number
Of hour units of work to meet the
industrial or agricultural labor
needs of America. Thus VIXEN labor,
through its organizations, is able to
81. &C :'i d"v's work from 10 to s
hours 70 per cent more laborers are
required to perform the same amount
OF work. From where does this extra
25 percent in numbers Of laborers
come? Mainly from farms.
Every advantage that organized
labor has gained, in the way of short
en- days and higher wages, has resulted
in drawing labor from farms to take
the place of the increased leisure
class in cities. 1t is well known that
decreased efficiency has invariably
followed higher wages and shorter
hours.
Has the farmers day been short
ened in proportion? No: if anything
1t has been legthcncd. 1t takes a
certain total number of hour units Of
labor to produce the farm products
necessary to feed and clothc America
ana TO contribute our sarc to tn
markets OF the world. When farm
labor is attracted, by shorter hours
ana higher wages, to the cities, il
means that father and borther, lief;
on the farm, must work just that
much longer and harder to acomplis,
L..
Capital, through it all-powerful or
CARNATIONS, has seen to it bv fhe
manipulation of the prices of food an,
farm products and farm necessities
that the farmer must work the great
est possible number of hours earl
day TO make ends meet. Thus ha,
capital, SO far as the farmer Is con
ccrned. worked hand in hand will
labor to pass the hardships of short
er hours and higher wages in tb.
cities ON to the farmer and the gen
eral public.
1t is one of the main arguments n
organized labor that every man VIII,
works has right not ONLY To reason
able food and clothing but to reason
able leisure for the cultivation of tn,
inner things of life If it is so necns
sary that organized labor should 0ui
work at the end of an eight (ant
some at the end of six-) horr day
IN order that it may have time t,
cultivate the finer things of life, WIN
! ask is is not equally necessary tha
the farmer be able to quit work a
the end Of a shorter day, in ordel
that he also may have some lcisur,
for the finer things of life?
Ii labor continues to be successful