Askov American., 1923-04-19
Opinions of Others
EIGHT HOUR DAY FOR
FARM Frs
Editor AskOv American:

would not be desirable. Now IL
seems TO me that if labor laws
are desirable at all, they would
be as much so on the farm as
anywhere else.
Of course, it would cost con-
siderable more to produce food
stuff than it does now, because
the farmer would have to run two
eight hour crews each day; but
what of that? The same thing
is true in industry.
If an eight hour day law was
put in force on the farm, with
one days rest in seven, produc-
ton would be reduced about one
half as a'number of farmers are
not in a position to secure the
extra help required to operate
their farms to full capacity.
With such a law in force there
would be required just twice as
many men on the farms to pro-
duce the same amount of pro-
ducts. that are now produced, be-
cause it would be impractical to
operate on less than l6 working
hours a day, taking into account
all chores and care for the live
stock, chickens, etc, that always
have to be tended to early morn
ings and late evenings.
But should that deter us from
working for equality? Is there
any reason that is sound and just
that could be given our farmer
friend that would explain salts
factorily why he should work
hard two hours for smaller pay
than his urban brother receives
for one hours work? l fail to
find any.
Is the work of the farmer not
worth as much as any other mans
work, be it machinist, teacher or
editor and is it not as necessary
that he put all his energy into it?
You may say, he does not have
to spend so many years in school
and college to enter into agricul-
tural pursuits as must some of
the others; but that is not right.
A good farmer must have studied
a great many subjects pertain
ing to soil, seed, climatic condi-
tions, animal life, and hundreds
of other subjects too numerous
to mention, as the auction bill
states, before he has the least
chance of succeeding in farming.
The boy raised on the farm
begins these studies almost as
soon as he is able to walk, and
keeps it up 20 to 30 years, now
and then attending some school
or college to help him gain a lit
tie technical knowledge. before
he enters farming for himself.
He is so busy at his work and
studies that he neglects politics
and let's the politicians and or
ganized labor and organized busi-
ness legislate him out Of his due
reward; there is where he fails.
That it takes knowledge to
farm can easily be proven. If
for instance all the people living
in our cities should exchange
places with the farmers for n
season anybody will admit that
we would have famine. and it
would all be because of the new
class of tanners. The cities
might not prosper either. but l
am sure they would be making
a better show than the country.
1t takes knowledge, it takes
experience. it takes work and il
even takes faith in the powers
above to be a~successful farmer,
but our present day farmer is
possessing all these things.
| What the farmer needs. and il
must be forced on him. is an s
hour day and one days rest in
seven. That would provide him
with the necessary time to spend
on the political end of the game,
and if this law is given him. or
forced on him, as he would never