Arizona republican., 1920-04-18
NEW FARM REPORTS REVEAL PROSPECT
 IF FOOD SHORTAGE
By GEORGE B. WATERS N. E. A. Staff Correspondent


 NGTON.-American farmers { face the most critical labor shortage since the civil war
 the department of agriculture from field men and agricultural colleges. In at least 10 states this is true The result predicted, unless some thing happens soon to change this condition, is heavy reduction in the acreage of most of the crops. The supply of pork is sure to be re- duced in the corn belt. There will be marked reduction in corn-fed cat tie and an increase in grass-fed ani mals. This will mean decline in the Equality of the nations beef supply.
 No "Hred Hands Almost without execution the re- ports are that many farmers will SOW deal of their tillable land to grass and reduce their acreage of food crops to just what they, perhaps a farmer and one son. can attend to- The bureau of farm management sent telegrams last week to it's repre- sentatives in all states. The replies receved were one accord that the acre. age will be reduced.
 Following are excerpts from some of the replies:
 Wisconsin,: Labor at present from s60 to s1o0 and beard. Farmers loath to utilize labor at this price when they are practically assured in their own minds that the price of farm products will undoubtedly be reduced in course of next year. Some will reduce acre. age 20 per cent and restore land to grass"
 Massachusetts: Farm labor 9 per cent short, and many parts reducing acreage % per cent. Many farms clos ing down..
 Maine: Farmers in general in Maine planning on doing work alone. Indus tries taking labor. Usual working day eight hours and wages high. and farm CT cannot compete.'
 Idaho: 3'No apparent shortage of la-~ bor in this state. Will be in month. But small irrigation farms can be at tended by owners
 Illinois: Paying farm laborers from $50 to S75 a month and board. and many farms without help
 Iowa: T am frank to state that farm labor situation is not especially bright. Pay s60 to s10o month and board. Prices of farm products have started to decline and bid fair to decline still more" Another report says Iowa farms are being worked by high priced labor because land is too valuable to leave idle.
 Ohio: Labor shortage especially sc- rious i'll northeastern part of state. Paying sl00 month and board. Steel and tire rubber companies are paying such high wages that it is practically impossible for farmers to compete"
 Rhode Island: "our farmers are finding labor situation worse than at any other time in the recollection of farmers now living. Plans for near future contemplate reducing farm operations to what the farmer and his family can handle.
 Ind dinn ri farms in two townships without ten ants"
 Kansas: Much agricultural land to be planted to grass
 NEW Hampshire: Not since the civil war has labor shortage been so acute. More than 5000 laborers have left farms in state to go into industry in the past year. Of 320 farms can vassed, six will enlarge, AS will main tain normal production, and 266 will curtail. Crop production will be de- creased fl per cent and livestock 37.
 Similar reports came from Nebraska. Minnesota, Pennsylvania. Connecticut. Pennsylvania, North Dakota, eastern Texas, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Oklahoma, Alabama. Missouri Washington, Arkansas and Mississippi
 South Carolina said labor supply was equal to that of last year but short of demand.
 l
 Texas said Mexican labor was solv- ing the problem i'll south and west parts, so many crossing the border that Mexico threatened stoppage-
 Louisiana reported increase in acre. age. but high wages and inefficient labor.
 Georgia reported wages 25 per cent above last year.
 One Pennsylvania farmer said he paid his man s75 a month. board, room. laundry, privileges and let him use his automobile three nights 9. week. He quit a take a job in q rubber factory.
 4 Massac achusetts farmer said the hired hand he had for 27 years quit to take a job in Q silk factory at s34 Q week.
 Normally there are 12.00o.000 per- sons doing farm work in America and one-haIf of them are hired laborers The shortage in "extra' labor seems tc be nearly 90 per cent. This woulds mean that 25 per cent less work would be done on farms. provided the owners didn't work harder and put additional