Evening star., 1943-03-31
Roosevelt Text on Farm labor
President Outlines Program to Supply
Workers in Agricultural Crisis
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
FOLLOWING is the teTt OF a state
ment read BY President Roosevelt
at his press conference yesterday
on steps being taken to supply
needed tarm labor:
We have only estimates as to the
number of dairy workers needed
The Extension Service in Ohio in
dicates shortage in that State of
$500 to 5000. On this basis, there
should be national shortage of
about $4,000 To relieve the situa-
ton these steps have been or will be
taken.
I. The War Manpower Commits
sion has directed every employment
office to list the names of farmers
wanting to employ dairy workers.
II. Release of men from Army.
War Department Acts.
The War Department has taken
! the following action with reference
/ to releasing men 38 years of age and
/ over from the Army:
| l. Discharge of such individuals
will cease after March 81 1943.
2. Effective April l. l943. such in
dividuals will be transferred to an
/ inactive status in the Enlisted
Reserve Corps, subject to the fol-
lowing conditions:
A. The man must request transfer
| to an inactive status, to enter an
essential industry. including agricul-
ture, accompanied by a statement
from the War Manpower Commits
sion to the effect that his release is
desired
B. The man will be recalled to
active duty upon request of the War
ManpoWer Commission.
The details of release. control
while on an inactive status, and re-
call, are being worked out by the
War Department and the War Man
power Commission (Selective Serv-
ice Bureau and will be issued within
the next few days.
Action Explained.
This action will mean that the
man who is placed in the Reserve
Corps must continue at work in some
essential occupation approved by the
/ Selectlve Service. There are only
800 over 38 years of age listed as
dairy farmers or dairy farm hands,
but thousands listed as farmers or
farm workers have had experience
that would qualify them as dairy
workers.
III. Registrars 80 to As
/ Chester Davis food administra-
tor Is directing the county war
! boards composed of farmers that
wherever there is shortage of dairy
workers they should secure from the
local Selective service boards the
names of registrants between 38 and
ID who are in occupations which are
non -deferable, and who have ex-
perlence as dairy workers or farm
workers. They will be urged by the
county war board and the local
board to seek unemployment as
dairy workers.
~. Conscientious objectors.
In this group there are 500 expert
enced dairy workers who. according
TO Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, can be
furnished today to dairy farmers.
An additional 1900 with farm ex-
perlence would probab bly, make good
as dairy workers and are now availa-
BILE.
100000 in AZ Class.
V. Men physically disabled.
There are 100000 between 18 and
45 who are in 4-F because of phvsj-
cal disability. Of these. 5000 between
l8 and 81 are experienced dairy
/ workers, but are not now EMPLOYED
on dairy farms. Many thousands of
! others have had general farm eX-
perlence. The local boards will be
| directed to send for these dairy work.
ers and urge them to return to their
former occupations. If they refuse.
consideration will be given to asking
the War Department to waive physl-
cal disabilities where such diSabill-
ties are so slight that the registrant
could be assigned to limited service.
VI. Registrants over As.
County war boards will be directed
to secure from Selective Service
names of regiStrantS over As having
dairy experience. The war boards
will urge their return to dairy farms.
VII. Dairy workers who have gone
into industry.
Other Steps Discussed.
If these steps do not adequately
relieve the situation county war
boards will furnish to local selective
service boards the names of expert
enced dairy workers who have left
the farm to go into industry. They
will be urged to return. 1t is not
deemed wise that this be done at
this time because within the last 10
days there has been a back to- the
farm movement due to the Tydings
amendment.
Chester Davis is giving priority
to his organization of a land army.
Mr.. (SamueD Zemuray, the presi-
dent of the United Fruit Co., is
undertaking to supervise the secur-
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