The Washington herald., 1920-04-11
FOOD SHORTAGE
MENACE SHOWN
New Farm Reports Reveal
Danger of Short
Supply.
LABOR Is SCARCE
Agriculturists Deplore Diff
Guilty Of Getting Work
Done.

StAeSoL laoOE SuoIldSo slhSo 1ic
civil war.
This is shown by reports reaching
the Department of Agriculture from
field men and agricultural colleges.
In at Least 40 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.
Unless intensive cultivation and
favorable growing season blesses
the country. this will result in cur
tailment of the food supply.
The supply of pork is sure to be
reduced in the corn belt. There
will be a marked reduction in corn
fed cattle and an increase in grass
fed animals. This will mean de-
cline in the quality of the nations
beef supply.
No Hired Hands.
Almost without exception the re-
ports are that many farmers viii
SOW a deal of their tillable land to
grass and reduce their acreage OF
food crops to just what they, per-
haps a farmer and one son, can at
tend to.
The Bureau OF Farm Manage
ment sent kilograms last week TO
its representatives in all States.
The replies received were one ac-
cord that the acreage will be re-
duced.
Following are excerpts from
some OF the replies:
Wisconsin: Labor at presen,
from $50 to 500 and board. Farm
ers loath to utilize labor at this
price when they are practically as
sured in their own minds that the
price of. farm PRODUCTS will un-
doubtedly ho reducsf n course OF
soxt ear. Some wilt reduce acre
sgG 20 ger CG-L S-i rsstore land to
.SrsSS.'
lf-,ssaeuua- a-Jis-- Fam labor IS
Ger cert s1oEL. Eaa many parts
REDUCING acreage IS per cent Many
farms closing down"
Maine: Farmers in general in
Maine planning on doing work
alone. Industries taking labor.
Usual working day eight hours
and wages high, and farmer can
not compete"
Idaho: mo apparent shortage of
labor In this State. Will be in
month But small irrigation farms
can be attended by owners"
Illinois: Paying farm laborers
from $50 to SIS month and
board and many farms without
help"
Situation in Illinois.
Iowa: Il am frank to state that
farm labor situation Is not especi-
ally bright. Pay $50 to 800 month
and board Prices of farm pro-
ducts have started to decline and
bid fair to decline still more" An
other report says Iowa farms are
being worked by high-priced labor
because land is too valuable to
leave idle.
Ohio: Labor shortage especially
serious in northeastern part of
State. Paying 500 a month and
board Steel and tire rubber COM
panies 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 recol-
lection of farmers now living.
Plans for near future contemplate
reducing farm operations to what
the farmer and his family can
handle"
Indiana: In EIkhart County IS
farms in two townships without
tenants"
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 canvassed, six will en-
large, 4S will maintain normal pro-
duction. and 2S6 will curtail. Crop
production will be decreased Al
per cent and livestock 81"
Similar reports came from Ne
braska, Minnesota, Pennsylvania,
Connecticut. North Dakota, Eastern
Texas, West Virginia, Virginia,
New York. Oklahoma, Alabama.
Missouri, Washington, Arkansas
aad Mississippi.
South Carolina said labor sup
ply was equal to that of last year.
but short of demand.
Use Mexican Labor.
Texas said Mexican labor was
solving the problem in south and
west parts. so many crossing the
border that Mexico threatened
stoppage.
Louisiana reported increase in
acreage, but high wages and in
, cficient labor.
Georgia reported wages 25 per
Gent above last year.
One Pennsylvania farmer said
he paid his man SIS a month,
board. room, laundry. privileges and
let him use his automobile three
nights q week. He quit to take a
Job in a rubber factory.
A Massachusetts, farmer said the
hired hand he had for "a years
quit to take a job in a silk fac
tory at $34 a week.
Normally there are 1900. 900 per-
sons doing farm work in America
and one-half of them are hired
Iaborers. The shortage in extra"
labor seems to be nearly so per
cent. This would Emean that 25
percent less work would be done
ON farms, provided the owners
didn't work harder and put addi-
y anai members g their families to
ur .rh