The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-08-02
CITY Men BADLY
NEEDED ON FARMS
Shortage of Hired Labor Threat
ems to CurtaiI Production
of Food.
MEREDITH MAKES AN APPEAL
Increase Of Wages From IS to rs Per
cent Falls to Relieve Situation
Total Acreage Undoubtedly
viii Be Reduced.

Washington-With shortage Of
hired farm labor as acute as in f0lS,
threatening to curtail food production
on American farms, r. Il. Meredith
secretary of agriculture, has issued
an appeal to city men, college students
and others to spend their vacations
working on farms, particularly as
helpers in harvest fields.
Reports secured by the federal de-
partment from its representatives In
practically every state in the Union
show that the supply Of hired farm
labor in this country is only about II
per cent of the normal supply, com
pared with approximately 81 per cent
of normal supply year ago. This
years shortage is almost exactly the
same as that Of two years ago when
large numbers Of men were in military
service.
May Cut Production.
The present shortage has arisen In
spite of the fact that farm wages are
Is to % per cent higher than last
year The situation, unremeded, can
not fail to have unfavOrable effect on
production, according to the United
States department Of agriculture, and
will tend to prevent any reduction in
the prices of farm products. While
the total acreage undoubtedly will be
reduced as a result of the present stu
alton, it will not be in as large proper
| ton as the reduction in the labor sup
ply, because the farmers with their
| families are exerting themselves to
! the utmost to overcome their handicap.
| Cultivation this year will be less in
| tenSive than formerly. More land will
be put into grass and such other crops
as require minimum Of labor, 1t is.
said, and the titled fields will be less
intcnsivcly cultivated. ID"
Secretary Meredith calls on all bus
mess men and students to spend their
summer holidays helping relieve the
present situation and so aid In com
! batting high living costs. In making
| This appeal it Is recognized thata at
the outset at least such labor Is not
as efficient as experienced farm labor,
! hut the excellent results secured in
| 1918. when city men in large numbers
aided the farmers, leave no doubt,H MS
to the success Of the present drlyeolf
the men win respond. 1.ab
Plan to Help Farmers.
The United States department OF
agriculture was represented by Asher
uobson at the meeting. of the National
Farm Labor conference held in Kan
sas CITY recently and the Office of farm
management, of Which Mr.. IIobson is
assistant chief, is laying plans looking
toward offering effective aid In dealing
with the farm labor situation, partic-
ularly In the harvest season. It is eX-
pccted that definite announcement re-
gardIng work along this line will be
made in the near future Until other
provision. has been made by the de-
partment all persons interested in find
ing work on farms should write to the
directors Of agricultural extension at
the agricultural colleges in the yari-
Gus states. These directors are pre-
pared to supply the names of county
agents having farms in their rcspec-
tive counties that need farm labor. BY
this method anyone desiring TO help
lon farm can get in direct commune
cation with the farmer.