Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-07-17
ALL IN MONTANA
URGED TO HELP
FILL LABOR GAP
OF AGRICULTURAL
SITUATION EMPHASIZED BY
STATE COMMITTEE


meeting in Helena, urged Montana
| power. including working in the fields
themselves, to help save the farm
| crops this year.
The statement follows:
Realizing that acute shortage and
relative inexperience of labor now
available to agriculture presents a
| problem more serious perhaps than
any other facing the industry today.
/ unless it is the ultimate outcome of
| the world conflict in which this ma
ton is now engaged, the following sug-
| gestions are made:
| l. Farm and ranch operators will
during the war find it necessary, as
| industry and business have and will
TO make many adjustments in how the
I job Of producing foods will be done
| In no line of endeavor is it any longer
business as usual Farm people gen.
orally are valiantly endeavoring to
meet the situation by exerting them
selves to the utmost, putting in long
hours, and in other ways. This is COM
mendable. but in addition, adjustments
| in what is done, how it is to be done,
and relationship with what labor is
available, will be necessary on the part
of every individual farmer.
Labor Committees Urged
2. Since in spite Of all that he may
do, the individual operator must have
assistance if the seriousness Of the
problems is to be kept to q minimum,
we again urge every county which may
not have already done so, to immedi-
ately set up in such manner as they
may see fit, an active, functioning,
farm labor committee composed of ac-
tual producers as well as representa-
tives of agencies previously suggested.
3. There is no relief now in sight
for the serious labor shortage. On
the contrary the longer the war con-
tinueS the more serious it will become.
Neither is there now, nor has there
been, any material supply of labor
available from some outside source,
either mythical or otherwise. Since
this is true, then it is apparent that
communities will find relief from the
labor shortage largely to the extent
to which they are able and willing
to help themselves.
So long as there are idle manpower
hours within any community, that
community is not helping itself to its
maximum extent. If the American way
of life is worthwhile, and we believe
it is, then it is worth working for,
sacrificing for, and If need be, as the
men in the armed forces have proven,
worth dying for.
The healthy young men and young
women, or business or professional
men, who are not willing to help out
on the farms and ranches of their
communities and counties, because of
the inevitable physical discomfort in
volved, or because such manual labor
is apparently beneath their dignity, or
because of indifference, or whatever
the cause except it be through physi-
cal inability, are, we believe, not CIV
ing the kind of support to which our
men in uniform, our nation, and the
cause for which we are fighting, are
entitled.
1t is not in criticism but in sincerity
that we state that many chambers of
commerce, towns and communities
have been most insistent as to the
importance of agriculture to their
continued welfare. If that be true, is
it not that same industry along with
all that is involved, worth If need be
the sacrifice of closing business houses
and such professional offices as pos
sible until noon each day, whenever
there is farm work for which no other
labor is available?
Below Their Dignity?
Have our schools, churches, clubs,
organizations, and industrial groups
been made to realize fully the serious
ness of a problem which already is
resulting in the reduction of foods es-
sential to the feeding of our men in
uniform and our allies? Are our town
people going to admit that farm work
is too hard for them, or too mental,
or below their dignity? If they are, 1t
will mean that we as people are ad-
hitting that we must import others,
foreign born or otherwise, to do our
work We believe America and that
for which it stands means more than
that, and therefore we believe the
people of Montana to a man will rise
to solve its labor problem.
So long as there are idle people who
are physically able to work and who
are not willing to make themselves
available if needed to insure the pro-
duction of food, we have not made the
sacrifice that war justifies and de-
mandS We believe the urban people
of Montana will respond, if acute ag-
ricultural needs are made known, and
if the community as whole is con-
WINGED that their help is needed. We
are pleased to note that in a number
of towns of this state, business houses
are closed during the morning hours.
4. We again request that all county
labor committees having criticism or
suggestions to make, feel free to trans
nit them to the state labor committee
at any time. The problems ahead are
big enough to justify the combined
efforts of all of us. This committee is
at your disposal to help in any and
all possible ways. We are pleased to
note that many county committees