The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-06-30
SHORTAGE OF LABOR
IN HARVEST FIELDS
Enormous Demands for Hnr'cNters
in Northern Oklahoma Not Yet
Met by Farmers,
SHORTAGE Of HELP HERE
Migration a. Harvest Field Of Labor
rrs Leaves Tulsa Employers ana
Contractors short

So many laburcrs havo been at
t,,.'od 10 the harvest fields hy the
h..n wages ana extent Of the region
/, which the grain has suddenly
yIp,rcd that FOR several DAYS Iu'si \
contractors ana large employers OF
Inar have felt a,utsN the need Tor
1Nuors. \ decided shortage has fnl-
lowed surplus. now that the harNc"t
ia m FUN sway. In years past the
harvest WAS not 80 attractive to IA
nur,rs However, thousands ot men
looked forward 20 the time when
they could start cutting grain m
oklahoma and proceed northWWl
Ms they finished work IN the lower
nuuio. ON the other hand, some
men were disguised with their first
adventure in the harvest fields They
we're often disappointed when on aI.
riEng In town. whrc they had been
assured there was plenty oi work.
the, found none 10 sometimes hap
prr,d there were scores oven hun
! IrpIa OF others who were there.
Tnrrr usually followed % cut IN
wares Tor those who were. nhie to
fnI. employment TN that particular
locality Perhaps 80 milrs,frum the
rUu' Uf labor congestion the grain
would bc damaging for want ~ labor
fU cut 10. and farmers iu their dcs-
prratIuu would bid against one an
other FOR the smail number ut men
who happened 10 come into their ter
r.fury
There appeared 20 be sufficicncy
y both men and work. but the dis
trhutou WAS imperfect Unlike some
manufacturers. the farmer could not
ttko his work TO some convenient
city where the labor market was
g.uucd. The only solu don of the
problem Eccmcd 10 bc in getting the
men TO come 20 the work. n the
mountain would not go 90 Moham-
mct Muhammct would 80 to the
mountain.
when the war IN Europe resulted
in a labor shortage Tn America last
GUNNER the farmers were uneasy lest
the wheat could not be out In time
90 prevent damage. At this crisis the
federal state employment service Of
oklahoma stepped In and made q
survey of the situation Representa- b.
tycs were sent into the various dis
trlcts 10 ascertain the exact state Of
the crop. with regard'to It's ripcuing
These men informed the oklahoma
CTS office OF the employment sery-
iCr by telephone every day In this
way the employment offices over the
state were provided with daily bull
lcun on conditions In each locality.
Instructions were given. as To where
Co., nd the mon who wished 10 work
iu fhc harvest They were not sent
o. place which did not need them
on ih. very DAY they arrived Many
uHu who went into the wheat Coun.
try 90 harvest ignored the advice OF
tho employment service and learned,
when 10 was too late, that there was
surplus OF labor In the district to
which they had come.
The lesson Was learned and this
year majority Of harvestors call
go tho nearest employment service
Tor Information before going TO the
fields This has enabled tho employ
mrnt service tu distribute the supply
ot harvest labor to the best adyau-
taro.
There Is a serious condition exist
irE I'm the northwestern portion Of
The state at this time. but 1t is due
II, an actual shortage OF labor and
" no way attributable TO faulty dis
tvHuuon There Is uut commun-
i'N ln tho header region where there
- to NAl lAAh hl NlbNls 4 ne only NNlNr
ton Of the difficulty Is TO get men
from ont Of the state To accom-
uAsh this Claude H. Connally com
missioner OF labor OF Oklahoma. who
Is head OF the employment service.
went to Fort Worth on Friday tn re-
cruit harvest hands. II is stated on
reliable authority that I'm the Fort
Worth district there are 1000 men
ont of employment who would be
available for the harvest. but FOR
the fact that they were without funds
with which they could pay their
transportation 10 the wheat belt The
situation was so bad IN the vicinity OF
Woodward that tho chant bcr OF com
m"rcc I'm tho towns roundabout there
made up "A fund for railroad trans
p"riAtion from Fort Worth tn Wood
ward. Enough money was not avail
able TO entirely relieve Lhc situation.
hut there was sufficient 10 pay the
iar'p OF nearly 800 men. Mr. Con