Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1919-12-12
VOICE OF THE GRANGE.

While the state Oranges of Vermont
and New Hampshire held their annual
sessions this week one will find more
constructive and helpful suggestions in
of the New Hampshire state Grange.
He discussed the eight hour day in a
clear and convincing manner. He said
in part:
Another great factor which is a
menace to the farmers is the persist
cnt campaign for the eight hour day.
This affects the farmer in several ways:
the application of the eight-hour day
has increased prices out of all proper
ton to value.
The propaganda of the eight-hour
day has been thrust upon tho farmers
and they feel the adverse influence of
this short day, as absolutely impossible
for largo production. The supply of
food must necessarily decrease so long
az these conditions exist. Should the
farmer and his family adopt the eight
hour day and do as industrial labor Is
doing it would result in n national
calamity in the food supply
We have been buying our supplies
figured on an eight-hou basis, and
selling our produce figured on much
longer hour basis. The time has come
for the farmer TO meet this situation
by selling his produce on the same hour
basis, as he has to buy and at price
which will give him cost plus @ reason.
able profit.
1 insist that the time has come
when tho farmer should be recognized
by the government as being entitled
to have some sav in determining the
rules under which he is compelled to
work.
On the labor situation he said in
part: !;
Many of the farm laborers have
left the farm 10 go into the industrial
centers where they receive more dol
lars per day and work less hours each
day; but the facts are that it costs 80
much more to feed and care for a fam
lily in the city or large industrial cen
ters. that they would save more mon.
ey by going back to the country life
and work for less wage, and have n
better place 20 raise and care for the
family.
recommend that every Grange
make n study of these conditions and
get statistics regarding the living ex-
penses of family in the large indus
trial centers and compare them with
the cost of maintaining the same fam
| lily in the farming sections of our state.
Get the most perfect and detailed ac-
counts and place them where all can
study them and compare the difference.
! If the Grange would do this it might
be the means of encouraging people TO
work on our farms and see for them
| selves the advantages of farm life a.
compared with those of city life.
The one great trouble is that the
spirit of work has gone, the people of
today are looking for three things
pleasure seeking, money grabbing and
idleness, with no thought of owning a
home.
The Grange in New Hampshire
should sound the alarm that thrift and
| frugality are still essential for the
growth of prosperous people"
No improved expression of these
facts need be attempted. Evidently
they are the conclusions of a practical
man and the suggest ions AFRO as fore,
IDLE for Vermont as for the people Of
New Hampshire.
Thursday the Grange capped the eli
max by adopting resolution declaring
this country was facing a crisis on the
labor question and declared for uni,
versal nine-hour day for both farm and
factory. This is n step in the right
direction but undoubtedly will not ac,
complish much as the workingmen
would never yield the short hours they
enjoy at present. A nine. hour day is
fair, however, and the voice of the
New Hampshire State Grange may in
time be heard throughout the country.