EMPLOYMENT OF HARVEST LABOR IN THE WHEAT BELT. 19 
rant and hotel prices did not drop so rapidly in 1920-21 as the cost . 
of foodstuffs declined. Consequently, the 1919 and 1920 harvest 
hands had a little better chance ‘‘to make a stake” than the 1921 
harvest hands enjoyed. The difference between these years and 
_ 1921 was also accentuated by a stronger demand for harvest hands, 
in proportion to the available supply, than in 1921. Of the men 
able to furnish definite information, one-fourth stated that their 
- net earnings were over $300 in 1920, one-fifth said they made over 
- $300 in 1919, approximately a fourth said that they cleared between 
$200 and $300. Nearly half of the group, therefore, made sub- 
- stantial “stakes” in 1919 and 1920. Most of these men declared 
that their 1921 earnings would fall far below those of the previous 
_ year because of the greater difficulty in getting work and the smaller 
margin between wages and hotel and restaurant prices. 
TaBLeE 13.—Earnings in 1920 harvest of 517 of the harvest hands interviewed in 1921 
harvest. 
Number of men whose net earnings in 1920 v-ere— 
State where inter- ree Not | | 
viewed. viewed. | 20W2 $50 or| S21 | $75 | $100 | $150 | $200 | $250 | $300 | $350 
: to  |None. I E to to to to to COM | OF 
them- eSS. | $74. | $99. | $149. | $199. | $249. | $299. | $349. | over. 
selves. | 
GOS. 2s 6 Lee se selcetoclbs@ass | peters Baaec |G ares aces ae eae Meseresar 2 
Okighonias:-. = 4. 2.8 30 10 5 2 1 a eee 2 2 2 1 2 3 
ISGTISAS see Sto oes 270 82 26 15 8 10 23 17 32 9 11 37 
Jowa (Sioux City).....: 112 12 10 iat 8 3 18 16 14 7 4 9 
NIG) OUP tea 2 Ba ih 3 DE ee eee lll ea ee 1 ee ie NS | eectarerst De Eom e 
South Dakota:........- 5 35 Sie Sloe cS See A Seka |= eas eee! [Sere sere (Ea eel Den z, 
North Dakotarse.c. 22 266 65 11 11 8 14 24 37 37 11 19 29 
Ao} cleat es er 696 179 53 39 25 27 68 72 86 28 37 82 
Per cent ofall (696) cases 100 2B dale te Or io On oO" 18 369) | 958 | 10.3 | 12.4°| -4.0)| d.3°— 11.8 
Per cent of cases (517) : 
reporting earnings... MOQZ oe 3 eos: LODal aco metsOleeone | Ls.2 led! L616. -b.40 Fol 1529 
| | 
- 
TasLe 14.—Karnings 1 1919 harvest of 443 of the harvest hands interviewed in 1921 
harvest. 
Number of men whose net earnings in 1919 were— 
Total | 
nuin- | | 
Place wheré inter- ber of | Not | | 
viewed. men | known $50 | $51 | $75 | $100 | $150 | $200 | $250 | $300 | $350 
inter- by |None.| or to to to to to to to or 
viewed.| them- less. | $74. | $99. | $143. | $199. | $249. | $299 | $349. | over. 
selves 
SOR AS eo ete eS let 7 a [ies | oe ea oe hea dl le | ee et 1 i 1 
Piklaloma . 02 oo. 5. 32 11 1 1 1 4 2 4 1 a 2 o 
Kansas 3 cre een rare 291 121 N7é 22 7 6 24 16 28 11 ll 28 
lowa (Sioux City) ..... 129 29 i) 17 1 7 16 Sri ez 6 7 12 
PO DTASKA sera ke | 8 5 Tes i sea Scope berets « Gs | Ree pcp cE levi acl econ 1 
South Dakota._....-/_. 6 St | eee SB | Tes ols eel ee 1a Retcee < 2h | cere 
North Dakota.......... 230 87 11 te 6 10 33 21 25 6 fs 17 
rRapaliee, 2c 85 57 12 793 260 35 47 15 PA 76 49) | 76 24 30 64 
Per cent of total........ 100 Se eOnO Oat imee2et |, O.o | 1058 } 2.0") 10.8) 3.4 1.3 Oct 
Per cent of cases (443) 
reporting earnings.... MOOI cosets TaD \WlORGe)) i. 4s We Omk tedee | 110 | 17.2 D. 4 6.8 14.4 
a eee ee eee ee ee a ee 
