Smyrna times., 1942-03-12
DISCUSS FARM
LABOR PROBLEM
U. S. Employment Service
Strives to Supply Labor
Needs of Farmer
USE LOCAL LABOR

To meet any emergency which
may develop from the shortage of
farm help, the United States EN-
ployment Service for Delaware has
set up special Farm Placement
Representative in each of the local
offices. Mr.. Thomas Russell, Smyr-
ma, who is manager of the Dover
local office, stated that this special
representative is working hand-in-
hand with all farm agencies in the
county and surveys are being made
to determine the needs of the farm
ers and the available farm and can
merry labor supply. Workers and
employers are urged to contact the
United States Employment Service
Office at Wilmington, Dover, or
Georgetown, to offer their services
or to place their orders as soon as
possible. Comprehensive plans for
action to supply the vitality needed
workers on Americas farms this
year were outlined last weekend
by agricultural labor experts of the
United States Employment Service
at Philadelphia conference of
fourteen eastern states ranging
from Maine to North Carolina.
Meet Victory Program
William L. Dill, Director of the
Social Security Boards Region III,
which includes Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and Delaware, opened the
conference by emphasizing the urg-
ency of the farm labor problem in
meeting the goals of the Food for
Victory" program, and also pointed
out the major scope of Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, and Delaware
growers in the agricultural produc-
tion of the nation. Although a
much more intensive recruitment
effort will be required than in pre-
vious years, the United States EN-
ployment Service will for the most
part be able to supply the labor
needs of farm employers, Fay w.
Hunter, chief of the agency's farm
placement section in Washington,
told the conference. He asserted
that the fullest possible utilization
of local sources of workers was the
primary solution to the problem.
To Use Local Labor
1t was emphasized that the farm
placement program of the Employ
ment Service must be highly flex-
ible, and that local offices would
plan their activities to meet the
local needs of their particular COM
munities. In some cases, this
might involve the use of more wo-
men, of college students and older
high school pupils, and other
groups not normally engaged as
agricultural workers, but the con-
ference was agreed that these
sources would be tapped only after
all customary methods of supply
had been exhausted, and that there
would be no need this year for re-
sorting to a Woman's Land Army
or Volunteer Organization on a
national basis.
Ask Farmers Cooperation
A strong appeal to the farm en-
ployer to cooperate fully with the
Employment Service was voiced by
conference speakers. Chief requis-
ite on the part of the farmer for
success in the labor supply pro-
gram was described as simply in
forming the local Employment Ser
vice office of his need for workers
as fully and as far in advance as
possible. Accurate data on antici-
pated as well as present labor re-
quirements, it was pointed out, will
enable the service to operate so
that the entire supply of workers
available will be fully utilized and
most fairly and effectively distrib-
uted.
Food Production Vital
Another step that can be taken
by the food grower to aid in meet
ing his production goals will be to
appeal promptly for deferment of
necessary farm workers summoned
for military service. 1t was en-
phasized by Judge Dill that both
workers and employers must real
ize that the war is being fought on
farms as well as in factories and on
the battlefelds, and that food pro-
duction is as vital as the produc-
tion of guns, tanks and planes.
In this connection, the conference
was referred to the recent state
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