Evening star., 1942-10-25
VINO Debates Threat
OF Food Shortage in
Farm Labor Crisis
McNutt Told Problem
Of Workers Must Be
Met Within so Days


Met Within so Days
A report Of critical" lack of
farm labor that, unless met within
the next 60 days." would result "in
food shortage next year." caused
Chairman Paul v. McNutt to con-
vene his War Manpower Commits
sion in special session to work out
program. He acted just before
the Senate voted to defer farm
workers under the "teen-age" draft.
Data was presented by selected
service, it was reported during a
three-hour session. When members
filed out of Mr.. McNutt's Office, a
spokesman said the meeting had
been called because of the farm
situation and that the committee,
after going over reports, had re-
cessed until tomorrow afternoon.
Later, at selective service head
quarters, Brig. Gen. Charles Grahl,
director of the Iowa selective serv-
ice system, said he had made a
flying trip" to Washington because
Of the farm help crisis, and that he
planned to stay here until some
program was adopted.
Can't Meet Both Calls.
1--WE cannot fill our calls for men
for the Army and still meet the
demands from agriculture and in
dustry," Gen. Grahl asserted.
Somebody has got to tell us which
is the more important" he added.
If agriculture Is as important as
we think it is, we simply cannot
continue to fill our service calls"
A commission spokesman said
there were also reports that dairy
farms in California, New York and
other sections were selling their
herds for slaughter because it was
impossible to keep trained men.
Many of these men were reported
to have joined the armed forces
voluntarily, anticipating draft in
duction.
Labor shortage on farms has been
increasing. for the last several
months, it was reported 1t reached
such a state month ago that Mr..
McNutt appointed three commission
members, Arthur S. Flemming,
member of the Civil Service Com
mission: Secretary of Agriculture
Wickard, and Maj. Gen. Lewis B.
Hershey, selective service director,
to work out a program.
Report Adopted.
The findings, submitted to the
oicci oh - fvy,o
said to have been adopted at last
Wednesdays meeting, and direc-
tive ordered prepared for submis-
sion to selective service heads.
However, in line with regular pro-
cedure the directive was delayed
until it could be reviewed by inter-
ested Government agencies, it was
explained. The commission expected
to review these comments at it's reg
ular meeting next Wednesday,
The program on which the direc-
tive was based was reported to have
been aimed at alleviating condi-
tions in the dairy, poultry and live
stock branches of agriculture, and
1t was estimated that it would bring
about the deferment of several
thousand skilled workers from mill
tary duty.
The directive, according to in
formed sources, did not include crop
farming as an essential" industry.
On the day that it was acted on by
the commission, Mr.. McNutt in
formed congressional committee
that "our reserves of labor available
to agriculture are not being fully
and effectively utilized"
Would Defer Trained Hands.
AS for dairy, poultry and livestock,
the commission is reported to have
worked out program calling for
the deferment of trained hands on
dairy and livestock farms having
IL cows or more. Reasonable time
would be allowed those farms hav-
ing eight cows to increase their
herds to the minimum requirement.
The program, it was reported,
classified as essential" all poultry
farms raising certain number OF
chickens-the minimum to be cal
culated on the basis of what would
be equivalent to the work OF keep
ing IL cows.
This program was said not to have
been altogether acceptable to certain
of the IS farm State Senators who
had petitioped selective service and
the War Manpower Commission
earlier this month to freeze" all
dairy and livestock farm labor until
adjustments could be made.
Senator La Toilette, Progressive,
OF Wisconsin, suggested morator-
ium on drafting men from the dairy
and livestock industry. He said
many of the dairy owners and la
borers who have left the farms were
attracted by higher wages in defense
industries.
Sees Changed Status.
Manpower Commission members
would not comment as to the prog
ress being made. However, Gen.
Hershey, who testified before the
House Special Committee on De-
tense Migration recently, said: Il
think we are faced with the time
when some of the critical areas are
going to have to be in agriculture. }"
He agreed that in many farm
communities occupational defer
ment is looked upon as draft
lodging" and he added that:
I'VE are fighting Goth century
war with human beings who have
still a 18th century complex-'when
there is war I am going to do
what I can in the army"