The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-04-30
OUTLOOK FOR
farm LABOR
BETTER

BETTER
WASHINGTON.-Senator James !
Murray is urging the War Relocatio
Authority, the Department of Ayr
J culture and the U. S. Employmer
Service to Immediately augment thei
recruitment campaigns to insure suff
cient farm labor for Montana bee
growers, farmers and ranchers. Ser
lator Murray has made survey of tn
farm labor situation and has obtaine
reports from farm organizations, foo
professors and others interested Thi
survey shows that he farm labor prof.
lem is very acute due to the deple
iton of essential farm workers by tn
draft, but that there are some en-
couraging development. One of thes,
is an agreement that has been reached
between the State Department ant
the government of Mexico permitting
the recruitment of Mexican farm
workers. This program now is bein.
carried on with considerable success
Drive for Jap Workers
| The State Department and the De
partment of Agriculture also have
reached an agreement with the gov
eminent of Jamaica providing for the
importation of up to 10000 of Jamai
can agricultural workers into the
United States to relieve farm labor
shortages. These workers will be re
turned at the conclusion of their work
period. While most of these latter
workers will be assigned to the south
and east, that will tend to release
others for employment in the west.
Senator Murray also has urged the
War Relocation Authority to conduct
an intensive drive to recruit farm Ia
Dor from the Japanese evacuees now
held in War Relocation centers and
has been assured by Mr.. Holland,
chief of employment of the War Re-
location Authority, that this campaign
will be launched without delay.
Some Bright Prospects
'By contracting the various sugar
companies operating in Montana,
have learned that the labor situation
is not serious as at first it appeared
to be. The Great Western Sugar
Company already is active in bring
ing in Mexicans under the recent pro-
gram approved by the State Depart
ment.
"The American Crystal Sugar Com
pany at Missoula reports that 1900
outside workers will be needed, but
that the establishment of housing ia
cilities in that area will facilitate OBJ
tanning the necessary men.
"The Utah-Idaho Sugar Company
at Chinook reports that they need an
additional 1900 workers to equal last
years crop production. The farmers
in the Chinook area appear to favor
Mexican help, although they no doubt
will use many Japanese workers if
they are made available.
Il have urged the State Department
to expedite its program to utilize
Italians being held at Fort Missoula
for farm work or railroad construc-
lion work which would release work
ers for the farmers.
"The Holly Sugar Company at Sid
ney and at Harlan also prefer Mex
can labor, but have had considerable
success with Indians from North Da-
xota and Montana reservations and
With Japanese evacuees, as we'll as
With laborers recruited from the
part of the United
States.
Use Conscientious Directors
Il also have urged the War Man
)ower Commission and the Army to
Increase the number of conscientious
directors that have been assigned to
Iuty in Montana, and to make the
ervices of these men available to the |
armers during the harvest season |
There now are $50 conscientious OBJ |
ectors stationed at the CCC camp at |
Ferry. These men are working on |
he Buffalo Rapids project | have |
rged that this number be increased |
~ 100 of more men and that addi- |
ional camps be established in Mon
ana, preferably at Miles City or some
Their central point"
Senator Murray said that he has
rotested to Selective Service the
mall number of conscientious objec-
ors that have been made available
Dr. farm use throughout the country.
Ie has been informed by General
Hershey, Director of Selective Serv-
,e, that only $500 of these men have
cen assigned to work on farms
the nation
Senator Murray said that the use
Japanese was being more generally
ccepted this year throughout Mon
ina due to the change in policy Of
lie state administration with refer
nee to these workers. All efforts to
tempt to locate the Japanese per-
on tracts of land have met
gorous opposition from the commun-
les involved, and the senator stated
D such colonies will be established Z
Montana.