The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-04-16
FARM LABOR
AND PRODUCTION.
(Comment.)

AND PRODUCTION.
tComment)
There seems genuine cause for
anxiety concerning the farm labor
situation next summer Already the
question Is receiving no little atten.
ton In the press, especially In Jour.
mails devoted to agriculture.
The trend III articles on the sub
ject 4 that The threatened shortage
OF labor for the operation OF the
Yarns will result in the inevitable
curtailment OF production. This
would b. a distinct calamity since
II Is admitted that only through ex-
traordinary productivity can the
country cope with conditions already
acute and daily growing more so.
There Is abundant evidence that
hundreds Of young men are leaving
the farms for the cities, attracted
thither by high wages offered them
In the industries. Every unit which
leaves the farm constitutes peril
which IL not lightly to be passed by.
II does not require unusual mental
capacity to realize that, II crop pro.
ductiOn In not maintained at the ut
most the high cost of living will soar
stiil higher. and with that will come
distress and suffering.
The Grand Rapids Press has an
ESPECIALLY pertinent article on the
matter. Following are few ex-
cerpfs:
II three fourths OF the force OF
Grand Rapids furniture facto-
~ should quit, to take more iu-
crative employment, and other
workers could not be obtained.
that factory necessarily, would
have to reduce Its production
10 per cent or perhaps suspend
operations altogether. II far.
mer IL operating large farm
with the aid OF three sons. and
the boys leave for city Jobs, the
production OF that farm will be
reduced approximately 75 per
cent. A notable instance OF this
came to attention last week. An
Ionia farmer. visiting In the city
said that his two boys had been
offered 81 day for work in au
tomobile factories. 60 ahead
and take II while the taking liz
good he advised them. I'm get
along the best | can alone.e He
owns 100 acres. keeps about thir-
~ cows. and produces good
deal OF food for the market.
That farm this year can pro-
duee only about one-third of
what II did last year.
With thousands of other far.
mer boys doing the same thing,
the inevitable answer Ia plain.
Relief from high food prices
must come from changes or
policy In cities: 1t cannot come
from efforts OF owners OF farms
left hopelessly undermined.
The Rural New Yorker. an agri. !
cultural journaL commenting on the
article In the Press. says II In
hopeful sign when ''city papers talk
That way. because this puts the
question so that any workman ca,
understand II.
The New York publication charges
mat ~0sir1 natispal policy has
stimulated and prosected the indus.
tries of the town. and that this sys,
tenn has permitted city employers
10 outbid farmers for labor. "As
. result" says the Rural New YORK..
er, farmers. left without labor. can.
not produce food up TO the farms
The Inevitable result will
pt iouu stuitSkt anu several steps
Onward starvation.
Although harvest time Ia yet far
away, seeding time Is ut hand. ana
sven now there II cry for more
abeor on the farms, II the shor,.
,ge Is being felt thus early. 1t Is
reasonable To assume that when the
yrain Ia ripened u the fields. the sit.
iation will be grtve indeed.
Some OF the newspapers and spe-
'ial journals are showing an incli.
,ation to MAKE the farm labor prob.
em u politich issue. evidently see
ms some capital In II that might be
urned 10 account in behalf OF one
'r the oths OF the numerous can.
lidates for president. This attitude
= manifes1y wrong. for. surely as
his gravs condition Is put into the
political not 10 boil along with the
her issues" Il viii fail TO receive
he carful attention II deserves. II
4 not conceivable that either par q
II, or any candidate. can do much .
Swart solving this situation by an. :
toacltng II from the viewpoint of
biitfian. Ii liz not PARTISAN
eiesfon. but one of national con n
|ern .