CHAPTER 70 



Farm Labor 



Labor is an important factor in the production of all wealth. The 

 labor of men and teams is the chief item in the cost of producing general 

 farm products. Agriculture, therefore, has its labor problem the same as 

 all other productive industries. Farming, however, is less industrialized 

 than other industries, and the labor problem on farms should be less difficult. 



Social Relation of Farm Labor. — It is often necessary for the farm 

 laborer to eat at the same table with the farm owner and mingle f reefy with 

 the farm family. In this respect farm labor differs from most other kinds. 

 For this reason, there can be less difference in the social standing of employer 

 and employee than in most other industries. Industrial corporations do 

 not discriminate against employment of southern European immigrants, 

 Hungarians or negroes, so long as they are fitted for the work to be done. 

 The reason these people are not more extensively employed in farm labor 

 is because the farm hand is so frequently a member of the farmer's family. 



Why is Farm Labor Scarce? — Most of the farm labor has always been 

 done by the farmer and his family. The increasing importance of educa- 

 tion, raising the age limit of employment, the lessening tendency for women 

 to work in fields, together with increased farm tenancy, has lessened the 

 number of farm laborers. Foreign immigrants are not going to farms as 

 much as formerly, because the development of farm machinery and 

 improved methods in agriculture call for a higher class of workmen. The 

 unskilled labor can be used only on farms where much hand labor is 

 required. 



Farming does not sort men as closely as most other occupations, 

 consequently, the farm laborer has less opportunity for advancement. In 

 many industries there are many grades of men and this gives opportunities 

 for advancement from one grade to another, to positions of considerable 

 responsibility. The farm laborer must either look upon his employment 

 as temporary or be willing to serve without much advancement. Such 

 service is essential to the young man who intends to become a farmer. It 

 prepares him first as a farm tenant, and paves the way to ownership. 



Extent of Employment. — On the average American farm there is not 

 much opportunity to profit by the employment of labor. According to 

 the last census, there was employed less than 5,000,000 people, exclusive 

 of owners, on something over 6,000,000 farms in the United States. Over 

 half of those employed were members of the farmers' families, so there was 

 less than one hired employee to every two farms. A considerable number 



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