WHAT OF THE HARVEST? 241 



The farmers' complaint was the lack of skilled labour, and 

 yet they employed the most unskilled labour possible. 

 One can only come to the conclusion that they did so 

 because it was cheap. 



I do not wish to indict a whole class. There were many 

 farmers who refused to dishonour their manhood by the 

 exploitation of children of twelve. The " cultured " 

 classes who sat on Education Committees were more, and 

 the Government was most, to blame, over this disgraceful 

 episode in our national history. But unfortunately for 

 the farmers, their Union officially declared in favour of 

 the employment of children of school age, and as a class 

 they were tarred by this brush. The teachers through 

 their Union expressed strong disapproval of the entire 

 scheme. 



The scale of wages rose with terrible slowness in the spring 

 of 1915, whilst the cost of living was steadily rising (20 per 

 cent.), and farmers were beginning to experience the benefit 

 of \var prices for their produce. The Times said " the 

 fanner was having the time of his life." * 



In the north, at the hiring fairs, the hinds were engaged 

 at rates showing a rise of 33. or 43. a week, with the usual 

 perquisites ; that is to say a free cottage, potato ground, 

 or cow pasturage and a fortnight's holiday. The written 

 agreement was becoming general in these northern counties 

 and the farm servant insisted on the holiday bargain 

 being set down definitely. The Yorkshire Farmers' Union 

 increased wages to i a week, but in the southern and 

 eastern counties wages remained dangerously low. 



In the Braintree and Coggeshall districts of Essex wages 

 were 175. only. At the Dorchester hiring fair they were 

 advanced by is. to 2S. weekly. Parts of Somerset had 

 advanced wages only 2s. above the pre-war rate of i2s. 

 Advances in Wiltshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, North- 

 amptonshire, Cambridge, Nottingham and Worcestershire 

 were made at varying rates of is., 2s. and 35. 6d. per week. 

 The higher rates were obtained only where the Union was 

 comparatively strong. 



1 March 15, 1915. 

 VOL. II. II 



