WHAT OF THE HARVEST? 319 



thoroughly disapprove of the actions of black sheep amongst 

 their flock over whom they contend they have little control. 

 But it seems as if a little more effective shepherding would 

 check that spirit of hostility which is steadily growing in 

 certain districts. 



My own experience is that the worst offenders in refusing 

 to pay the legal minimum wage are not farmers, but land- 

 owners farming their own land. I have reported several of 

 these to the Board, and in each case they have been very 

 wealthy men who can plead neither poverty nor ignorance. 

 In one instance the bailiff went so far as to advertise that 

 ' no Union man need apply,' and when the men asked for the 

 correct wage he gave them a week's notice ! Herein lies the 

 power of the large landowner. He owns the cottages ; and 

 the men, afraid of being turned out on to the roadside, 

 submit to being robbed. 



Apparently, there is no feeling of noblesse oblige amongst 

 even these titled gentry, and they seem to experience no 

 dishonour in being fined. Each case should now be taken 

 separately, costs assessed separately, and the maximum 

 fine imposed on those who are flagrantly defying the law. 



A sad case was reported in a Sussex paper in 1919 of a 

 man who won his appeal for his minimum wage, which he 

 recovered at a court of law, and then was sent to Coventry 

 by his new employer by being made to work alone in a field. 



spirited, servile English peasants ? For you must recognise that these are 

 the most English the white men amongst our workers these men who will 

 sacrifice their job to win justice for their comrades. These are the very men 

 who made the best fighters at the Front. Surely you must admire them 

 for displaying the sturdy independence of our historic British peasantry ? 



Therefore I appeal to you, to the sportsman in you, to bring pressure to 

 bear upon the black sheep amongst your own flock, upon the mean farmers, 

 who are cowardly enough to victimise men who show any moral courage. 



We respect those of you who take an active part in your own Trade 

 Union. Surely you should return the compliment. You have never heard 

 of labourers victimising a farmer by striking because he belongs to his 

 Union. You cannot approve of labourers being victimised because they 

 are doing what the best of you are doing. 



I appeal to you therefore as lovers of British fair play to put a stop to 

 this evil spirit of persecution which has taken possession of the meaner 

 members of your fraternity, and insist upon them fighting in a clean way. 

 Your Union is now strong enough to do this. Give these members a 

 straight talking to. Do it 0ze> before it is too late before all farmers 

 are looked upon as being tarred with the same brush. 



F. E. GREEN. 



