WHAT OF THE HARVEST? 35 



The importance of farm workers obtaining one half- 

 holiday a week of a day which is not Sunday, cannot be 

 over-emphasised both from the national point of view and 

 from the workers'. This particular hay-seed of having to 

 work every day of the week for the same hours was at last 

 removed from the labourer's shirt. The absence of a half- 

 holiday had largely been the cause of young fellows refusing 

 to stay in the country and drifting away into the towns. 

 By the institution of the half-holiday village sports began 

 to be revived at once. The attractions of town life were 

 dimmed, and the long-closed avenue was opened for farm 

 labourers living in districts badly served by railways, to 

 meet together in conference to educate themselves in a 

 manner hitherto rendered almost impossible. 



In the spring of this year Orders were made for the fixing 

 of the minimum wage for women and girls, which resulted 

 in those over eighteen years of age receiving wages of 5d. 

 an hour in all counties excepting Northumberland, Cum- 

 berland, the Furness district of Lancashire, Yorkshire and 

 Westmoreland, where 6d. an hour was paid. 1 



Not only had the organised workers made a step forward 

 in the spring of 1919, but the political class-consciousness 

 which was expressed at the General Election found a more 

 universal application when it reached the point of capturing 

 many seats on Parish Councils, Rural Councils and even on 

 that hitherto sacrosanct body, the County Council. During 

 the war no municipal elections had taken place, and now in 

 nearly every village where there was a branch of the N.A.L.U. 

 or the W.U. an attempt was made to infuse life into the 

 moribund Parish Councils. 



Hitherto, with few notable exceptions, the farm worker 

 who stood as a candidate, as I have said, found his pathway 

 in life anything but pleasant, without an organised company 

 of comrades to render him support either in victory or 

 defeat. 



Amongst the exceptions I should like to mention the 

 village of Hitcham, near Ipswich, Suffolk, where seven 



1 In July an increase of one penny an hour was granted in all counties. 

 Vide Note to Appendix IV. 



VOL. II. X 



