100 AGRICULTURAL LABOR 



In this connection it may be stated that it sometimes happens 

 that the returning harvest hands capture a freight train and force 

 the train crew to carry them without compensation. Indeed it 

 seems to be a common practice with the returning laborers not 

 to pay carfare. They prefer to steal a ride in empty freight cars. 

 This in turn gives the robbers a better chance to ply their nefarious 

 trade. This illustrates the situation as it is in the fall of the year. 

 A situation very much similar to this exists in the spring when the 

 men are drifting westward to the farms. It seems fair, therefore, 

 to consider the seasonal nature of farm work as one of the most 

 serious problems which those concerned in agriculture are called 

 on to solve. 



I. W. W's. The Industrial Workers of the World, first organ- 

 ized as an industrial union, began to have significance for farmers 

 shortly after the year 1910. This group remains, as these lines 

 are written, as one of the unsolved problems in the farmer's labor 

 situation. The States of the Northwest find their peaceful workers 

 and often their civil authorities in collision with wandering bands 

 or members of this organization. Repressive measures fail to 

 repress them. They must be viewed as symptoms of some under- 

 lying unrest. Yet legislative and administrative measures dealing 

 with them aim at their " suppression," but do not touch any of 

 the causes which produce them. 



The spirit of the farmer towards the I. W. W. is expressed in 

 the following resolutions adopted at the tenth annual convention 

 of the Farmers' Cooperative Association of South Dakota, held 

 at Sioux Falls in December, 1916: 



"Whereas, there is in existence an organization known as the I. W. W., 

 consisting in many instances of a lot of worthless men who go about the 

 country intimidating its citizens and preventing honest labor from coming 

 into our State, and 



"Whereas, the farmers of South Dakota are depending at different times 

 of the year upon what is known as transient labor, therefore, we recommend 

 the passage of some law that will rid the State of this band of lawless and 

 ruthless fellows." 



The I. W. W. members, on their part, demand larger pay and 

 shorter hours, as a general rule. Refusal to meet their demands 

 leads to strikes, sabotage, and various forms of destruction to 

 property and life. 



Wages of Farm Labor. It is a matter of common observation 

 that wages of farm hands have been increasing for many years past. 

 By referring to statistical publications we find this increase has 

 been fairly constant for at least 150 years. For instance, in Massa- 



