The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1920-01-28

HHHM NHMI him HIN Hn aEau auHu M
One farmer in Minnesota has a
bonus plan whereby he gives $50 at
the end of each years work for a con
tinuous years service. This helps to
hold the men on the farm satisfactor-
lily.
One very interesting letter coming
to me says that most of the hired men
are treated like dogs. Anything is
good enough for them. In other
words, this man feels that poor en-
ployces are caused by poor employers.
There must be team work and co-op-
GRAFTON. | am satisfied that many
farmers are unable to keep good help
because they do not appreciate it and
/ do not know how to handle it when
they do have it. This same man says
that many farmer would have a
good man if he would treat him right.
This man himself has worked out for
twenty -five years before owning his
farm. He suggests that not only
should references be furnished by the
hired man but that the employer
Il Siiouiu " SquiI GU diSo W IuIIiiSi TEL
erences. Should appreciate the hui
imam side of life
4 One of the most successful farmers
/ know in Wisconsin and a most prac-
teal man on farm of 200 acres and
90 head of dairy Cattle says "Do not
treat the hired man like a slave. Oc-
OCCASIONALLY take the heavy end your,
self. Don't try to get along with toe
little help. 1t is discouraging to gat
behind with the work. Advise with
the man and ask his opinion regard
ing certain things on the farm anc
how to do them. Respect his judg-
ment- sometimes his may be better
than your own. Treat him as yot
would like to be treated if you were
in his place"
\ The demand of organized labor i:
for not more than an eight houl
:, day, and the fact is that large per
centage of labor is on that basis toda!
with a tendency to time and a half fol
all over time and double time for Sun
days and holidays Now, if this is t,
be mada basic condition in the labo
world so far as railroads, mines and in
dustries are concerned, it naturally vii
affect the farm labor problem and TIL
farmer cannot secure labor unless n
meets these conditions
Whether the farmer owns his owl
! farm or not, even if he be tenan
/, farmer, he should compute his tim
: by some simple cost system or that o
, any member of his family who ma,
contribute their labor in any way il
the production Of the products of tn
i farm. | see no reason why the farna
/ should not have his time computed o.
the same basis as men employed il
lothar lines of employment. Men ma
turally gravitate to those places an
lines of work which pay the creates
Ireturns, other things being equal o
inearly so.
The country today is being cursa
because by the constant agitation o
shorter hours of labor and higher wag
es, in order to meet the increased cos
of living unmindful of tho fact that tn
shorter hours themselves cut dow
production and tend to increase tn
icost of living to which there seems t
be no end, and whon the man has got
ten the higher wages he is unable t
purchase more with his hours wor
than he was before. This tendency
being fostered by the Unions, Brother
hoods and Federation which threaten
the very life of the nation.
Now if the American farmer is t
Icontinue as the newer of wood, and tn
drawer of water for all others, as h
is now, then he alona is to blame
There is one remedy and that is to pu
1.-THE farm on shorter hour basis. Tina
does not mean an eight hour day, flo
/ do not believe dairy farm can b
conducted on an eight hour da.
The periods of milking must be abor
equally distant apart, but it does nc
need to be on Is or 16 hour day a
lis often the casa. This will undoubi
eddy mean higher prices to the cor
sumner which will include the railroa
Iemployee, the mine workers and a
4 classes of industrial workers. Bt
perhaps the logic of the situation Wi
finally soak into their minds that tt
longer hours of labor means great
production and lower prices. The OF
Nv relief for the farmer is in organ
cation and such cost accounting {
is necessary. He owes it
himself, to his family, to Il
world, to place himself ON an equ
with all other workers, and if l
fails to do so no other power will pla.
him there. The very logic of the 81
tuation indicates the necessity of o
ganization to his well being and
order to stabalize production of Il