The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1942-10-22

WNU Service, 1343 II Street, N. W.
Washington. D. c.
There Is one question which the
farmer wants answered but which
large part Of the rest Of the popu'
lation doesn't realize Is n OF the
most important questions Of the day
It is: Will the farmers get enough
help to save the crops this year and
enough help to produce the food for
the Food for Freedom" program
next year?
I have spent the week talking to
people who are going to be respon-
sible for the answering Of that ques-
ton. And the composite answer as
I get 1t is this:
Generally speaking. yes. How
ever, some of the crops raised this
year will 60 by the boards. But we
believe we can handle next years
bigger crops"
What is Washington going to do
to solve this problem?
1. Much talk but nc legisla-
ton until after elections.
2. That talk however will de-
velop some unpleasant and i'm
portant truths.
3. As q result, eventually
legislative action, mapped on
the British plan.
But meanwhile there will be
4. Temporary makeshifts which
may alleviate but cannot cure
the farmers labor pains. The
first, immediate effort will be
on a voluntary basis. I'll 60 into
that later.) But it will leave a lot
of spoiled tomatoes, among other
things.
The second thing will be legisla-
ton which will be based on the
British experience and 1--WE hope)
will give the farmer the help he
needs to carry out his share Of the
battle.
In Great Britain they tried one
measure and another. irst VOL
untary and then gradually tighten
ing regulations. Their experience
ended in two things:
First, laws that kept the men who
were in rock-bottom. necessary in.
dustries (including farming) in those
industries.
Second, it put the men needed in
those essential industries into those
industries.
What the British did amounts to
this. and it is what we have to do.
and are going to do eventually
decree a rigid priority of jobs. And
that means decide where and what
q man must do. eight, make mu-
nitions, hoe corn. etc.,
Essential Farming
And, when it comes to farming,
subdivide: Say what Is essential
farming and what isn't. II you are
an essential farmer. you farm. 9th
erwise. you fight. That concept will
be framed In a law. a law that Is
being studied today as you hear the
various testimony Of experts aired
in the hearings before the various
congressional committees - a law
that is being studied today by a
subcommittee of the Manpower COM.
mission, by the labor department,
by department Of agriculture ex-
perts.
It will be considered seriously be-
fore election day. 1t will not be act
ed upon by then, not merely because
it is too hot a political potato but
because it is just too complicated
to be worked out satisfactorily be-
fore that time.
That is the analysis given to me
by an old-timer in the government
who is in a position to know. 1
naturally asked him why such a
manpower plan had not been worked
out before. He was very frank.
He said there were two reasons.
First, when any human being who
understands its implications looks at
this question he gets such a head
ache that he simply has to lean
back and think i. over again.
Second. and seriously. the ques-
ton of manpower in the present war
presents a problem that nc human
being has ever had to meet before
in the terms that it has to be met
now. Britain has been able to deal
with it in a measure-under the
pressure and the easily recognized
seriousness Of falling bombs. AS n
man who had spent much time in
England said to me: ITS easier
to regulate farmers when there are
shell craters in their fields"
How has Germany, the super
efficient nation, met it? Only with
slave labor. dragooned from con-
quered countries.