8o INFORMATION RKLATING TO AGRICULTURAI, ECONOMY IN GENERAL, 



Sendees, the representative in the department of the militarv- authority 

 and three well known farmers, and also of a member of the General Council 

 wherever a question relative to the prisoners of war is on the agenda of a 

 meeting. 



The central organization is connected with the other administrations 

 for the obtaining of labour, which it distributes among the departments 

 of France. The departmental commissions make the subsequent detailed 

 distributions, deal with all local questions as to the labour supply, and 

 correspond with the central organization whenever they cannot solve their 

 problems on the spot. 



The deflection of the oldest soldiers to agriculture has hitherto brought 

 100,000 men back to the land, and will doubtless bring others. A certain 

 number of agricultural artisans obtain temporary exemption from military 

 ser\dce, and soldier agriculturists receive special leave. Thus agriculture 

 has the benefit of a considerable number of working days which ought to 

 be a source of general profit To make sure of this extra labour supervision 

 has been instituted. 



This supervision is as simple as possible, first because the claims of 

 agriculture are alwa3^s moderate, and secondly because a tiller of the soil 

 naturally and without a perj:)etual spur works with incomparable industry. 

 A general supervisor of agricultural labour perpetually travels about France 

 in order to get into touch with the officials, who are with the fewest possible 

 exceptions themselves cultivators, and of whom one in each department 

 superintends the military agricultural labour. These officials are attached 

 to the departmental commissions of agricultural labour, and the circuits 

 they make bring them into relation with an inspector in each canton, who 

 is, whenever possible, a well disposed farmer. 



2. The Activity of the Department. — Without entering into details it 

 may be said that the activity of the department has three essential forms : 

 a) General measures for allowing the continuance of agriculture are 

 initiated ; 



h) The department intervenes in particular cases ; 

 c) Agriciiltural labour is organized for the future. 



The general measures are based on the need of labour revealed by in- 

 vestigations and by the wishes which the departmental authorities express. 

 Information is given in advance to the ]\Iinistr>' of War as to the time, the 

 duration and the inaportance of given works, in order to allow appropriate 

 steps to be taken at the right moment. vSpecific requests are made as to 

 definite categories of mobilized men, whether distillers, sugar-refiners, 

 sericulturists, shepherds, threshing contractors, etc., or artisans necessary 

 to rural life,blacksmiths, smiths who mend agricultural iniplements, 

 cartwrights or harness-makers. The department is there to provide for 

 the future. In agreement with the Ministr\^ of the Interior it organizes 

 offices of inmiigration on the frontiers. 



Unfortunately, in spite of its proposals and the general directions of 

 the ministers concerned, a certain number of agriculturists derive no bene- 

 fit from the steps taken in their favour. In their case the department in- 



