The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-06-27
ARMY OF MEN
WANTED FOR
HARVEST
SENATOR cAPPER OF KANSAS
EMPHASIZES URGENT IMPORT
ANcE OF EMPLOYMENT SER
VICE IN EMERGENCIES

Asserting that the successful harvest
ing of the enormous wheat crop in the
middle west is largely dependent upon
an army of two hundred thousand extra
harvest hands recruited, modified and
directed by the United States Employ
n,ent Service. Senator Capper of Kansas.
addressed a letter to Secretary of Labor
Wilson deploring the persistent propa-
ganda which seeks to destroy the service
and declaring that it is unthinkable that
&C ngress will not include provision Tor
ample funds in the sundry civil bill for
the continuation of the employment ser
vice during the coming fiscal year, which
begins July /.
The letter reads in part as follows:
II have observed with sincere regret
the persistent propaganda which seeks
to destroy the u. S. Employment Service,
the only arm of the federal government
In position to cope with the dislocation of
labor during the present period of read
tustment-
THE farmers throughout the great
wheat belt and particularly in Kansas,
my own state, are greatly dependent
upon the federal employment service for
the proper distribution of harvest labor
have before me letters and resolutions
from numerous farmers organizations ex-
pressing in unmistakable terms that the
successful harvesting of As, 900. 900 acres
OF wheat, the greatest crop in history,
is largely dependent upon the mainten-
alice of the machinery of the employment
service for the recruiting and proper dis
tribution of harvest hands.
Il have before me a letter from the
editor of the Kansas City Star predicting
shortage of labor for harvesting the
enormous wheat crop in Kansas and re-
citing the fact that wages are from five
to seven dollars day including board
and lodging and that the working force
will move north with the harvest to Ne
braska, Minnesota and the Dakotas and
can find employment afterwards in
threshing so that there will be steady
freezes. He estimates that no less than
an army of 100000 extra harvest hands
are needed this year.
IA this particular moment, in view
of the existing world shortage of food. In
my opinion this army of harvest hands is
equally is important as the army of oc-
cupation on the River Rhine. Consider
ing the UNEMPLOYMENT that exists, right
now in localities where population is
thickly congested, it is unthinkable that
the federal government would withdraw
it's support from the L. S. Employment
;'ervice which has the machinery capable
Of preventing disaster during the emer-
gcEcy of the next few months.
Surely those who seek to destroy the
effectiveness of the employment service
would not contribute toward the ueStruc-
ton of one single busheI of wheat and in
the light of these facts I cannot but help
predict that congress will include an am
pie appropriation in the sundry civil bin
for continuing an effective service durihg
the next fiscal year.
II am presenting you with these facts
IN the hope that they will help correct
some of the nisa pprehensions concern
ing the wisdom in continuing the en-
rloyment service which although like
many emergency organizations. suffers
from some isolated imperfections, still
has its task clearly ahead in wrestling
with the problem of relocation of labor,
net only for economic reasons, but also