The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-03-24
III ,..;.+
I)u'up fMs
F.U.C.T.A..
His Busy Season.
But Who Will Reap?
Army Must Have Men.
Family Type Farm Hit.
If They Gang Up.

Family Type Farm Hit.
IF They Gang Up.
Now that the vernal equinox is here
the time when the hours of day
light and dark are equal and bits of
green show here and there between
the March snow-the farmer will be
intent on getting in the crop He will
be fixing up the old gang pillow for
another round, trying to get his gas
ration for the tractor, and seeing that
the drill and harrow or disc are in
as good shape as the old gray mare
which amt what she used to be-
It means plenty of work and consid-
cradle worry before the last trip of
the drill has been made for another
year. That's the farmers job and no.
body can blame him if he hasn't time
and is too weary nights to look be-
yond the borders of his own fields or
note what's happening.
But worse things can happen to him
than the accustomed work and worry
of the spring season. He may be all
ready to get to work and even have it
mostly done, and then find that he
has ben drafted for armed service
particularly if he is 26 years of age
or under. That goes, too, for his sons
and his hired man-if any! That
prospect hangs heavy over his head.
Director Lewis B. Hershey has just
told two committees in congress Zone
in the house. the other in the senate)
that the Army and Navy must have
100000 men, between February 1
and July L. Most of them must come
from the farms, he thinks, because
the industries have already been
stripped down to the point that they
cannot operate with less labor. These
men, married and single, are needed
100000 by July l, and to replace those
killed or incapacitated and being re-
turned home from Italy, Burma and
the Pacific. So the farmer may plant
his land this spring, but somebody
else may have to do the harvesting
If it is to be done.
When some members of the con-
gressional committees pleaded with
Director Hershey that, if he went
ahead with the drafting of formers,
the nation and the world might be
short of food, he replied MY job is
to raise an army and not to keep
people of any (agriculturaD state at
home" In other words let those who
are in charge of food production look
after that, as best they can, all he can
or will do is to draft the men the
Armed Forces need. Those are to be
farmers, for he told the committees:
Industrial states have contributed
more men proportionately to the
Armed Forces than agricultural
states" Thus under new and tighter
rules, even those who have been de-
ferred because they are SOLDIERS of
the soil' cannot have the deferment |
renewed, if they are 26 years or
younger.
When the first farm deferment was
given, it was based on the dairy COW.
One COW was the unit and if farmer
was milking and producing from 16
milk cows, he was entitled to defer
ment That was later swung to make
g unit of 20 acres of crop, so that to
get deferred farmer would have to
put in 800 acres in grain. That will
not be so easy for the family type
farm of Minnesota and the Dakotas
where a quarter section (16O acres)
Is regarded as the right size. Hence
The family type farm will be first to
feel the pinch of the draft.
When questioned about this and
asked if the 16 units could not be
reduced to s, Director Hershey held
to the 16 unit and said: 81 should
have made it 20 or "a units" In such
case only the big plantation and
farms would be immune
Senator Russell of Georgia
saw that, for he asked if it were not
possible to change the 16 unit plan so
as to apply to different regions and
varying types of farming. But Direc-
-or Hershey was "cool" toward that,
insisting that, come what may, he had
but one objective-that of raising the
Armed Forces to the point required
Perhaps it is as we'll that there won't
be enough farm implements and re-
pair parts, restriction of gasoline and
the government farm loan and re-
mobilization cut down. If the farmers
and their sons and hired men are
things won't be needed
But the War Food Administration has ,
2 job on it's hands to get food for
The Armed Forces and the folk at
home. Which is but another lesson ;
N the need for cooperation among !
farmers. Only if and when they gang
Up" will they be able to do their es- {
'ential job = feeding a war-crazed |
world. War may force them together, |
yet E
NAILS FROWN ON t
'PORGY AND BESS" I