30 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



and developed its system of employment agencies for this purpose. 

 One object was to secure information, which could be conveyed to the 

 Department of Agriculture and to State agencies, as to available 

 labor in urban centers and to have it drawn upon for aid in farming 

 operations in near-by communities. The Department of Agriculture 

 assumed the task of studying the supplies and needs in rural districts. 

 It arranged to place a man in each State in touch with the State 

 council of safety with the special duty of assisting in the mobilization 

 and organization of rural labor. Under the provisions of the Food 

 Production Act, 38 farm-labor agents have been appointed and are 

 devoting their entire energies to the problem. 



The problem of the organization of labor remaining in agri- 

 culture is of the highest importance, and it is essential that, if 

 possible, it be so perfected that there may be produced in this 

 emergency as much as was formerly produced by the whole num- 

 ber of laborers, and, if possible, a greater quantity. The experi- 

 ence of the present year has been valuable. Constant attention 

 is being given to the problem, and it is hoped that during the 

 ensuing months even more useful work may be done. A conference 

 of all the labor representatives of the Department and of agencies 

 with which they have been cooperating in the various States was 

 held in St. Louis on November 9 and 10, 1917, to discuss the whole 

 problem, to canvass the activities and results up to that time, and to 

 make more efficient plans for next season. Whether resort in the 

 future must be had to more drastic action on the part of the State 

 and Federal authorities will depend upon the necessities of the case. 

 Conscription of labor for industrial purposes would necessarily 

 present many difficulties. Powerful influences are operating to bring 

 about the release of labor and capital from less essential enterprises 

 and their diversion into more urgent undertakings. These will be- 

 come increasingly compelling as the situation develops. They will 

 be aided by the growing realization on the part of the people gen- 

 erally of the necessity of curtailing expenditures on nonessentials 

 and of redirecting labor and capital into vital industries. 



CHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS EXTENDED. 



The Bureau of Chemistry has made considerable progress in 

 demonstrating the processes devised by it for preparing sugar-cane 

 and sorghum sirup that will not crystallize or ferment and for utiliz- 



