The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-08-28
Local Draft Boards

Frequent complaints against local draft boards IN Mon
ana counties are heard of the the boards
charged with failure to give to the need
for exempng young workers from the draft failing to
recognize the imperative necessity OF making possible 10
maintain production of food
On the part of these boards there apparent
realize that from the standpoint OF produc-
on of essential foods the operator with diver
ied farming program be of far greater value to the
war effort production that the large scale producer specialize
ing in only crop The farmer who produces enough milk
pork and poultry provide his family with such commodities
is in position expand the production of those essentials
point he has supply for sale to add to the nation
output without great adjustments of facilities He knows
and if he get some financial assistance II he
the extension OF his production can be developed
without material delay.
The "speciazed farm, the other hand particularly
such plants as mammoth wheat producing FARMS not
prepared that matter certainly not willing to
slider change from straight wheat production to dabbe in
daryng hog, beef poultry production To be sure these
large plants also producing an essential out COMMONLY
of which presently have surplus storage of which
sort headache This not true of milk and the
products of milk beef pork poultry products etc. the prod
ucts of the diversified farming program
However, is undoubtedly true that when of the
operators say wheat producing farm plant
before his county asks defermen himself
perhaps the workers needed to his big farm
oneraon he gets most respectful and considerable hearing
from his local board the other hand the small
farmer with comparatively small and with five or
cows flock of chickens small herd of cattle and hogs
appears board pleading for deferment of
perhaps whose labor vitality to the
the farm he will have to do tall talking to
his plea receive favorable considerations Under
present conditions if the board not unduy influenced by
national trait of for impressive size of bust
ness regard for the need of the small farmer would be-
greater than the operator The large plant operator
will least only add surplus which is al
ready burden The small farmer is undoubtedly willing
to add few to his daiyng herd, in
of chickens, his herd of hogs and cattle and
work day to do it. 1t involves change
in his farm program accomplish it. And he adds to the pro-
ducon commodities of which there growing shortage
and for which there is growing demand.
blanket criticism of local board for deferring large
operators and their necessary workers is not in
tended After ALL they also producing necessities of life
The real criticism directed many the boards the scan
consideration by them to the small farm operator The
produced by all of the small operators still
prouced by the large scale individual and corpora
The responsibility for maintaining the total
foodstuffs rests the local boards Maintaining
the balance all of the effort from manning
essential goods and materials rests their Shout
they should exercise the greatest to
make sure production of food curtaled the slight
est degree through their decisions.