The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-31
Judge Crawford Solves Labor
Problem in Kansas.
He Urges Railroads to Operate
Special Trains.
TO PRESENT IT At BUFFALO
Asks for Special Rate of One
Cent Per Mile.
Wants Legislatures of Various
States to Take Action.

John H Crawford, member of the
court of industrial relations ana Ieu-
eral employment director for Kansas,
believes he has solution for the har-
vest labor problem. AS the represen-
tative from this state he will present
his plan at the ninth annual meeting
of the International Association OF
Public Employment Services, to be
held in Buffalo, N. Y, September Is.
TT is comparatively easy TO find
any number Of good men willing TO
work in the Kansas harvest fields, but
the transportation problem is yet TO be
solved" Judge Crawford said today.
1.-THE wheat grower cannot afford to
pay the harvest wages demanded ana
in addition pay transportation or 5Oo
to 1000 miles and unless a remedy
can be found the producer will reduce
his acreage until his immediate FAM
lily and local help can save the crop.
Special Harvest Labor Trains.
The Crawford proposal in brief is
to obtain an agreement from the rail-
roads to run special harvest labor"
trains from Chicago, st. Louis, Kan
sas City, Omaha, Memphis, Little
Rock or some other cities, on certain
DAYS at a rate of one cent a mile.
These trains would be run at times
agreed on with free employment serv-
ice agents to different distributing
points in the wheat belt and would
DO grouped by the free employment
service agents.
Among the most important ques-
lions to come before the conference"
Judge Crawford said, ARE Prevention
of Unemployment and The Harvest
Labor Problem Any discussion of
the harvest labor problem will of ne
cessity bring Kansas prominently be-
fore the meeting. When this prob
lem is settled for Kansas it is settled
for every state in the wheat belt. Now
IS the time to take the question before
the conference and not wait until a
few weeks before harvest
sJudge Crawford quotes figures to
show that the harvest labor problem
concerns Kansas more than any other
state. The harvest begins first in
Texas with 1,761, 900 acres. Texas is
always able to furnish help to care for
her own crop. Oklahoma follows
with 2,976,000 acres. The help fol-
lowing the harvest from Texas, to-
gether with the surplus from Arkan-
sas, usually cares for the Oklahoma
harvest excepting the extreme north
ern tier of counties, which must be
supplied from Kansas.
Kansas Has 1881 900 Acres of Wheat
Then comes the harvest in Kansas
with. 9,531.OOO acres, the greatest
acreage of all the states of the wheat
~belt,s which requires the obtaining of
souBe 40, 900 to $4,000 men from other
states. Usually a large per cent of
these men follow the harvest into Ne
bFaska with her 3,467,O00 acres;
South Dakota, 1865, 900 acres; and
No1th Dakota, 7,44S, 900 acres.
Each spring the railroads officials
Sraciously listen to representatives of
the farmers and employment Off
Gals" Judge Crawford pointed out
Then the railroad officials say a re-
dpced rate for harvest help cannot be
granted for two reasons: First, if a
rate was granted for harvest help for
a given period, all tickets sold to
points in the wheat belt states must
be sold at the reduced rate; and sec
ond, If a rate was granted for wheat
harvest help. the railroads would be
compelled to grant a like rate for all
other harvests.
Crop Must Be Harvested.
There may be some merit to the
first reason, but the second reason is
untenable Wheat must be harvested
within two weeks or the loss is ire
mendous. On the other hand. corn
and cotton harvest is spread over a
period of two months and sugar beets
become more valuable as they remain
in the ground, so long as it does not
freeze. The necessity of transporting
a large number of men from a dis
lance within a few days only exists
during the wheat harvest
Each harvest a great number of
deaths result from injuries received
while beating rides to the harvest
field: the high jacker' rides the
freight trains to rob harvest hands
and the I. w. w. here secures many
recruits. Not long ago the superin-
tendent Of one of the large railroads
IN Kansas made a public statement in
which he said his road paid more
money this year for personal injury
claims MI Of =,
beating their way than it would have
cost to carry them free.
In consideration of the low fares
granted by the railroads for the 'har-
vest labor specials the next Iegisla-
lure OF the various states should enact
law exempting railroads from liabfl-
lty Tor personal injury to trespassers
attempting to steal a ride.
1 believe this plan would solve the
harvest labor problem and give a