THE FOOD CRISIS AND AMERICANISM II 



v?.iue of mineral in the mine, lumber in the tree, etc., 

 is almost an infinitesimal part of what he pays for the 

 manufactured product. 



When war was declared and the call to the colors 

 came, the farmers* sons and the best class of farm 

 laborers were among the first to respond to the call. 

 The selective draft has taken many more. In addition 

 to that, the high wages paid, not only in the shipyards 

 and munition plants but in other factories, are daily 

 drawing thousands of the most efficient laborers from 

 the already scant numbers left upon the farms. 



A very great majority of obtainable labor for the 

 farms are inefficients " down and outers " from 

 the city. They have neither experience nor interest 

 in farm work, and intend to abandon it and return to 

 town at the first opportunity hence, are of the small- 

 est possible value. Worst of all, many of them are 

 imbued with the spirit of the " walking delegate " 

 that their services must not be made too valuable to 

 their employers, and that hours and output must be 

 restricted. To farm operations this sentiment is fatal. 

 Exactly to fix hours of labor on the farm is not prac- 

 ticable, for the reason that because of rain, snow, cold 

 and the resultant soil conditions, approximately one- 

 third of the days of the year field work is impossible. 

 Farm work must be done when it can be done. From 

 the first sowing in the spring to the last storing of 

 grain in the fall, delays are dangerous often disas- 

 trous. For even one man to insist upon restricted 

 hours at critical periods means disorganization of the 

 whole force, and often entails enormous loss to the 

 farmer. As shown by numerous bulletins, as well as 



