Evening star., 1942-11-05
Wickard Again Urge,
Draft Defermenf for
Agricultural Labor
Secretary Tells Senators
Nation Will Use Food
Reserves in Two Years

Nation Will Use Food
Reserves in Two Years
= Secretary Of Agriculture Wickard
told the Senate Military Affairs
Committee today that essential
farm labor should be given draft
deferment to maintain agricultural
production.
1--WE are losing our most efficient
Agricultural workers very rapidly
he said, and added that the armed
forces are opposed to the "use OF
troops for harvest labor except In
case of extreme emergency"
The committee, which is holding
hearings on compulsory legislation
for the mobilization of the Nations
labor force, also was told that the
armed forces oppose renegotiation
of war contracts to stabilize man.
power.
The cabinet officers read into the
record a letter from Undersecretary
of War Robert P. Patterson opposing
the use of soldiers on farms.
Opposes McNutt Proposal.
Mr.. Wickard's statement came 4S
hours after Paul v. McNutt, Man
power Commission chairman, had
submitted management-labor re-
port to President Roosevelt, which is
reported to have recommended that
war contractors be forced to hire ex-
clusively through the United States
Employment Service. The Manage
ment-Labor Committee of the Man
power Commission contends this
would stabilize labor migration with
out using compulsion.
Mr.. Wickard said he was men,
ber Of the Manpower Commission
and had sat in on discussions with
Army and Navy officials He said
they contend that it would be very
difficult" to renegotiate several hum
dred thousand war contracts in order
to write in labor stabilization clauses.
Mr.. Wickard suggested that Con-
eress take steps to prevent war in
dustries from hiring men granted
deferment as essential farm workers.
The cabinet officer said the farms
had lost 1900 900 men to the armed
forces and war industries this year
and that they faced the prospect OF
losing similar number next year.
He estimated that so per cent had
gone into war plants and the re-
n1ainder into the armed forces.
If the drain continues we Will
have to depend on older workers,
women and children and the i'm
portation of Mexican labor to pro-
duce the Nations food supply.
1--WE will have to call on towns and
schools to help out" the cabinet off,
Ger declared. Il hate to have to
send children to the farms, but it
looks like it is going to be neces-
cary"
He forecast that more Mexicans
would be brought into the country
next year to augment the force al
ready brought across the border
with permission of the Mexican
government.
I'VE must face the problem real
istically.' Mr. Wickard said. I'VE
have not so far because we knew
our granaries were running over.
If We don't take steps now to plan
and plant next seasons crop, our
whole production output will be
gone two years from now
He said the manpower situation
must be approached promptly and
effectively" but he declined to in
dorse any of the five bills now before
the committee.
Informed by Senator Downey,
Democrat. of California, that dairy
farmers in his State were now pay
Ing $40 a day for help, Mr.. Wickard
said he thought the Manpower Com
missions directive to stabilize the
skilled labor on dairy, livestock and
poultry farms would be materially
helpful.
He explained food demands we're
going to increase tremendously dur
ing the next year.
Patterson's Letter to Wickard.
Mr.. Patterson's letter follows:
AllpoA lollSC VI VIC 1ooa-lSI
victory program is we'll recognized.
It was gratifying to learn, as the
result Of conferences between rep
resentatives of the two departments.
Chat the Department of Agriculture
appreciates the fact that the mill
tary situation must determine the
action in this matter
Nothing can be allowed to inter-
fere with the rapid and efficient
preparation Of our armed forces for
combat. The War Department cam
not, therefore, grant the use Of
troops for harvest labor except in
extreme emergency.
IF it develops that the Nation is
confronted with a real emergency
In the food situation in which the
existent surpluses have been given
full weight, the use of military per-
sonnel may be considered in accord
ance with the following principles:
Il. That all other sources of har-
vest labor have been exhausted.
20. That military personnel, If
any. will be employed as units and
not as individuals"