Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-28
Circulation Every 1I010
Evening Yesterday l4O1O
Need of Work on the Farms.

Need of Work on the Farms.
In comprehensive and intelligent re-
view of certain conditions in respect of
the farming interests of Delaware, printed
in the Sunday Star, Mr.. Frederick Brady
of Middletown revealed some brief facts
that are decidedly startling. The most
important, as well as suggestive, was
contained in the statement that to his
personal knowledge there are three farms
not MANY miles from Middletown which
are entirely without tenants, no one even
living upon them and no portion OF the
land being cultivated. Such condition.
he saws. has never been known in that
community since it was first settled. 1t
was brought about, in his belief, by the
inability to secure satisfactory labor, and
by the potent fact that many who might
be willing to undertake the cultivation OF
these farms are able TO command moro
money at some Job in the city.
1t has been no unusual thing for many
years to hear of abandoned farms in some
parts of New England, but clear ex-
PLANTATION always was given. The land
was so poor as to be practically worthless,
holding out not the slightest encourage
ment to a favorable return for even the
most practical and persistent labor. But
not 50 in Middletown neighborhood. The
land in that section for miles In depth and
extending from the Delaware 20 the Chesa-
peake is rich in fruitfulness and easily
susceptible to intelligent culture. In that
section is included the famous Bohemia
Manor, which nearly three centuries ago
found favor in the eyes OF early settlers by
reason of its rich promise.
While deploring this decidedly alarm
ing condition, and the heavy handicap
under which agriculture now labors IN
nearly every section of the country, Mr.
Brady also gives suggestion to remedy.
''There has been," he says, "some talk OF
military training, whereby each man at
about the time he becomes OF age would
serve a number Of months in the army.
This might be all right, but ! believe If
every young man and young woman be-
coming Of age was compelled TO put IN
from one to three years on farm, and
do the work that the sons and daughters OF
our farmers have to do, there would be
different feeling regarding this question
than there is at present. feel safe In
saving that from one-half to two-thirds
Of the successful men in the cities have
been farmers SONS, but i am afraid 1t
would be hard to find very many boys
born nd brought up in the city who have
made successful farmers"
That some measure of good would
attend the practical enforcement of this
suggestion is not doubted. but it can be set
down as a fact that there would be far
more objection to enforced agricultural
training than to any amount of enforced
military or naval training. There would
be vigorous and widespread resistance by
all thus finding themselves coerced in the
matter of labor, and the opposition would
be of a forco and character difficult TO
overcome. In fact, it may safely be pre-
dicted that such a scheme Of enforced
farm labor by legal enactment would
never succeed IN our country-would not
even be seriously attempted.
Still, the grave and pressing problem of
adequate farm labor rears its threatening
presence. to the serious detriment of the
agricultural interests of the country Eeen
rates of wages and hours of labor un-
dreamed of few years ago will not hold
hborers ON the farm, much less attract
them there. This is why farmers sons
and daughters in SO many instances are
TO relinquish their hours set |
apart for education and devote them to
hard labor on the farm.
1t is no secret that the extreme scarcity |
of farm labor, with its accompanying |
danger of restricted crops at time when |
the most generous harvests should be |
provided for. is due almost entirely to the |
demand for labor of all kinds in the IN
dustrial centres Of the country, now ex-
busy along all lines Of pro.
duction. Not only do a great many /
farm laborers banker after the change of
living conditions afforded by residence in
the centres of population where there is a
demand for labor. but they are additional
" attracted by the unusually high wages
that are paid. This is competition that
.he farmer cannot successfully compete
With. as the limit he can afford to pay
1oes not equal the excessive remuneration
offered IN the industrial lines.
And not only does the farmer meet this
competition in the attrac-
ions Of the cities, but in many instances
n his own locality. Roadbuilding and
he construction Of school buildings and
,indred ENTERPRISES create q demand for
abor which depletes the labor supplies
4 the farms. We know Of farmers in this