ir^^ AN EDITORIAL ir ir ir 



FARMHRS ari.- ^oiKcrni.d o\tr tlic epidemic of strikes now sweeping the country. 

 Fanners are sympathetic with labor's legitimate demands to secure fair wages 

 and healthful working conditions. On the other hand, farmers have no sympathy 

 for the type of labor union practices w'hich attempt to advance the selfish interests 

 ol a Neiected group at the expense of others. 



Some of the claims of the leaders for lurreiit strikes will bear careful examina- 

 tion. In many cases the strikers are asking for a 30 per cent increase in hourly 

 wage rates. This is eijuivalent to asking for 18 hours pay for 40 hours of work. 



One of the leaders of an automobile workers union claims that the company 

 could grant the wage increase demanded, lower the price of cars and pay larger 

 dividends to stock holders at the same time. Ihis claim appears to be fantastic. 

 Howc-ver. we suspect that it might be true to some extent if . . . We suspect it 

 might be true // some union leaders would permit their members to deliver a full 

 day's work for each day's pay ... if some labor unions would not insist on having 

 three men employed to do the work of two . . . and ... if some labor unions 

 wciuld permit wider use ot labor saving machinery and methods. 



Union men often ask why .so many farmers are not more sympathetic with 

 labor unions. I'armers do not oppose labor unions as such, but they do oppose 

 practices wiiich restrict production and interfere with indu.strial progress. Farmers 

 and farm organizations have devoted their attention primarily to making two 

 blades of grass grow where one grew before. Some labor unions, on the other 

 hand, appear to devote them.selves primarily to making two jobs out of one. This 

 approach to the labor problem is very shortsighted. It retards economic progress 

 and perpetuates a low level of production and a low standard of living. 



Another claim of some labor leaders which will bear examination is that high 

 wage rates for labor are of great benefit to farmers. Here again this claim is true 

 it . . . It is true if high wage rates are universal . . . and if high wage rates are 

 accompanied by a high output per worker. 



Farmers have continuously supported working people, in unions and other- 

 wise, in all legitimate attempts for the improvement of wages and working condi- 

 tions. They will continue to do so, but farmers also will continue to insi.st on 

 |X)licies and programs that give equitable treatment to all classes of citizens or 

 groups of people. Farmers believe that the best interests of farmers, workers, in- 

 vestors and in fact all classes of society recjuire a sound economic balance in the 

 fields of prices, wages and profits. 



* * * • 



By 



ELLSWORTH D. LYON 



Fall programs are atlraclin;; new members. 

 Counties reporting; must recent .itquisitions 

 are Montgomery, Christian, EJwards, Ma- 

 coupin, Will, Clark, Morgan, Fulton (two 

 of them veterans). Bond, Knox, Rock Is- 

 land (reporting an all out drive for new 

 members and even changing the meeting 

 night to the third Tuesday of the month to 

 accommodate a great number of young 

 people). Ol'Ic. >X',irren. luliiar. anil T.izc- 

 well. 



Rural Mouthers make use of experiences 



in state camp, district schools, or visits to 

 children's homes and to hospitals by bring- 

 ing educational material back to local 

 groups through reports, the teaching of 

 parliamentary procedure or the new games 

 learned and by making helpful suggestions 

 for the local county programs. Some ex- 

 amples of such activity come from La Salle, 

 which was able to use nearly all of the ma- 

 terial brought kick from the district Rur.il 



• * • 



^■(■utll sciiool at Yorkville; Bond which 

 t.iught new g.imes learned at state camp; 

 Ta/cwell which had reports on state camp 

 and the district school at Bloomington; 

 Montgomery which reported on state camp, 

 district school at Carlinville, and visits to 

 the camp and hospital council at Scott Field; 

 and Will which reported on state camp and 

 district meeting at Yorkville. 



Rural Youthers over the state are digging 



into good educational material. Lois Carl- 

 son, secretary of the Prophetstown-Tampico 

 Warriers, in reporting recently of the year's 

 work said "We had more ancl better educa- 

 tional features. " Clark county has just re- 

 ported a meeting which shows they got 

 down to brass tacks on the discussion of 

 the theme Rural Youth in Post-War Amer- 

 ici," by considering the following subjects: 



"land Prices and Taxes," "Improvements 

 in Home Economics," and Improved Meth- 

 ods of Agriculture." The Forreston club of 

 Ogle County studied and demonstrated 



Tabic- htiquctte. ■ The Polo club of Ogle 

 considered homes of the future under four 

 headings: "I'scs of Glass in Modern 

 Homes by Harriet Schnulle, 'The Cojt of 

 the House" by Edwin Dew. "Heating" by 

 Glyndon Stuff, "Insulation" by Harold Avey. 

 Pictures of and an address on "Mexico" w.is 



S/Sgt. Vem E. Rusch (above). Rural Youth 

 member irom Fulton county, is happy to 

 be back in the U. S. alter action as a 

 paratrooper in Europe where he lost his 

 left loot when he stepped on a land mine. 

 He hopes to get home by Christmas but 

 will be glad to hear irom his friends. He 

 is in Ward 14A of Lawson General hos- 

 pital, Atlanta, Ga. 



ot interest to Morgan youth. Henry County 

 saw two movies, "As You Sow So Shall \'ou 

 Reap," and "Helpful Henry." Fulton heard 

 Farm.er Bill of Station WMBD on the theme 

 "Radio and People." Richland, the He- 

 bron group of McHenry, and Will discussed 

 "Two-Family Farm Business." At the Will 

 county meeting the majority of the young 

 men present requested a meeting at a later 

 date with representatives from the Univer 

 sity to which meeting they would bring 

 their fathers. A former Rural Youther and 

 veteran of the Hartland club of McHenry. 

 Harold Menge, gave an interesting talk on 

 his travels while in the service. Edwards 

 heard a veteran from Wabash county who 

 spoke on his experiences while serving in 

 the armed forces; Whiteside's Newton No- 

 tions heard a veteran speak on his experi 

 ences in Arabia, Egypt, and Italy. Schuyler 

 enjoyed Rural Youth slides for 19l-i. Rock 

 Island discussed "Race Relations .ind Ra- 

 cial Equalities. " 



Massac County Rural Youth was intro- 

 duced to the new farm adviser and wife .it 

 the October meeting — Mr. and Mrs. leo 

 Sharp, formerly of Macoupin county. 



Wayne has selected the three-act toniedv 

 "Let Me Grow Up" to be given in the near 

 future. Half the proceeds will be contrib- 

 uted to a local hospital. Montgomery meets 

 part of its civic responsibility by decorating 

 250 Christmas packing boxes for soldiers sta 

 tioned at Scott Field. Saline took part in 

 a fall Farm Bureau meeting by i5roviding 

 a speaker (Freda Hall) and demonstrating 

 square dancing. Bond served a dinner for 

 the R.E.A. 



A tractor maintenance short course 

 will be held Dec. 10-15 at the Univer- 

 sity of Illinois college of agriculture 

 and will offer instruction in all pha.ses 

 of tractor repair and care with special 

 emphasis on the use of proper fuels 

 and lubricants. Enrsllment for the 

 course must be made through your 

 farm adviser. 



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I. A. A. RECORD 



