LABOR DRAINED FROM FARM.
With the Shortage of Labor the Farm
er Hag No Hope of Increasing His
Acerage Over That of l.ast Year.
High Price* I'aid by Other indus
tries Cripple Farm Work.
The farmers of this country i:ave
never asked to be relieved from any
task or burden which rightly belong
ed to them. They do not ask for
class exemption or special considera
tion of any sort. They are ready
now, as always, therefore, to do their
duty tfc their country; to answer every
call made upon them with their char
acteristic zeal and patriotic devotion
to liberty and justice. But to call
upon them row under the present con
dition of things to plant greater acre
age in crops, demanding greater pro
duction this year of food stuffs and
farm produce than was produced last
year, is like the Egyptians calling
upon the Israelites to make more
bricks without straw.
When the world war began, in 1914,
the munition plants and the manufac
turers of war supplies in this country
were swamped with orders from the
European nations, and at prices which
enabled them to pay the highest
wages ever paid in this country for
labor. The high wages then offered
by these industries drew away from
the farms nearly all the labor.
When our own country entered the
war and begun making preparations
in feverish haste for training an
army, our Government let contracts
for the erection of cantonments and
for supplies on the basis of ten per
cent profit to the contractor, let the
cost be what it might. Then the de
mand for labor was so great and the
prices paid were so exorbitant that
the remaining day and month hands,
available for farm work, were taken
away. Then came the draft and in
many instances the farmer himself
and the farmers' sons were drafted
into the army. This ended the
tragedy. The stripping of the coun
try of young, able-bodied men, who
would till the soil was complete.
Our survey of the labor and the
prospects of greater crop production
in this State shows that in some sec
tions the labor shortage is one hun
dred per cent and the shortage will
average throughout the State no less
than fifty per cent. Some of our cor
respondents state frankly that the
Army and Navy have taken many
men from their communities and that
the munition plants and other indus
tries have outbid the farmers for
those that were left.
These are the conditions as they
exist at present. Greater crops than
those of last year cannot be grown
with the present available farm labor,
neither can the shortage in trained
farm hands be made up by inexperi
enced boys from the high schools or
laborers from the towns, as recent
experience abundantly proves. Many
thousands of acres were unhur
vested last fall because the necessary
hands could not bo obtained for the
purpose. These conditions exist
through no fault of the farmers.
They never have at any time realized
large returns, and especially do they
not realize any such scale of profits
as is commonly granted to the great
corporations producing copper, steel,
cloth, leather, coal, lumber and many
other things less necessary than food.
However burdensome the prices
charged by the distributor to the con
sumer, what the farmers realize is
often below the cost of production.
He must Ret living prices for what
he grows or abandon the farm.
It is a fact which cannot be denied
that what the farmers will plant the
coming season must be decided main
ly by the prices they can obtain for
what they harvested last year.
No food stuffs have yet been sold
in this country at a price sufficiently
high to pay for production with labor
which cost from $2.50 to $.'? per eight
hour day, and the high cost of fer
tilizer, machinery and other farm
supplies added to that of labor.
The situation as it stands at pres
ent plainly indicates that if the farm
ers cannot realize for their produce a
price based on the cost of production
and a reasonable profit added there
to, as is granted to other industries,
so that they can compete with the
great corporations in the matter of
paying wages to laborers, there will
not only be no more food produced
this year than last, but there will be
much less produced, and if the pro
duction of more food is to win or
lose the war, it will be lost, because
there is a limit even to a farmer's
capacity for work.
Assure the farmers of prices for
their products, which will cover the
cost of production and let them go
into the market as business men and
compete with other industries for
labor and the production demanded
will be met. Farmers are as much
entitled to a guaranteed scale of pro
fits as any one else and the time has
come when they cannot produce for
priccs which do not cover the cost of
production. ? The Southern Planter.
Sometimes it is love at first sight
of a bank account. ? Memphis Com
mercial Appeal.
Hirift Stamp*.
The campaign on the Thrift Stamp
isn't going to end with a whirlwind
wind-up. It is a matter that, will take
some time to finish. However, every
man should come across right now
for all he is worth, and maybe a little
later he may find that he can come
again. These thrift stamps are sim
ply a loan to the government. They
are an investment. Uncle Sam needs
ready money now and he is asking his
nephews and nieces to come across.
And to refuse to loan Uncle Sam
money is a serious thing. Because if
he finds you won't lend it he will take
it. He is going to have money, and
the best way to appease him is to
lend to him and receive interest. If
he must issue bonds and sell them, we
will pay them. If he increases taxes
to gat the money, the burden falls on
us without getting any returns. Then
why not come across and lend him all
the money we can possibly spare for
the purpose and let him in turn pay us
a goodly rate of interest? The argu
ment is all on one side, and that side
is buttered. Better come across
while we have opporturity. ? Every
thing.
Bragged lo? Much.
A farmer, the other day, took a
plowshare to the blacksmith's to be
sharpened, and while the blacksmith
worked the farmer chuckled and
bragged about a sale of hogs he had
just made.
"Them hog* was only eight months
old," he said, "and none too fat,
nuther; but I seen that the buyer was
at his wits' end, and by skilful jigglin'
I boosted up the price on him just 300
per cent. Yes, by gum, I got three
times more for them hogs than I
uster get before the war."
The plowshare being done, the far
mer handed the smith 50 cents.
"Hold t,n," said the smith, "1
charge $1.T>0 for that job now."
"You scandalous rascal!" yelled the
farmer. "What do you mean by
treblin' your price on me? What have
you done it for?"
"I've done it," said the blacksmith,
"so's I'll be able to eat some of that
high-priced pork of yours this win
ter."- ? Washington Star.
Shall tile Prict of ( niton lie I'ixed?
We doubt if the average Southern
cotton grower objects to having the
price of cotton fixed; but he will
object to having the price unfairly
fixed, and to fix the price fairly, a
good deal more study will have to be
given it by those who loudly clamor
for regulation.
We firmly believe that present high
prices of cotton are not due to specu
lation, but to a world-wide shortage
and a consequently more insistent de
mand. This shortage, in turn, has
come about because of factors over
which the farmer has little or no con
trol ? the boll weevil, adverse seasons,
scarce and high-priced fertilizers, and
labor shortage. In a word, a com
bination of untoward circumstances
have served to greatly curtail produc
tion and at the same time greatly in
crease the cost.
We submit that any price less than
thirty cents is unfair to the cotton
grower. We submit, furthermore,
that thirty-cent cotton is quite in line
with $2 wheat, corn at $1.75, hogs at
$15.50, pig iron at $50 a ton against
$10 before the war, and potash at
thirty cents a pound against live cents
before the war.
We resent the imputation that the
cotton grower is unpatriotic; we ques
tion the motives and the judgment of
any man who would penalize the
Southern farmer for growing a crop
that is vital in its importance to
sivilization.
A man who on one acre grows one
bale of cotton provides 500 pounds of
the best and cheapest material on
earth for clothing ourselves, our arm
ies, and the armies of our allies. But
he does more. Off the acre that grew
the 500 pounds of lint cotton there
also comes 1,000 pounds of seed, out
of which are made: 450 pounds of
meal, capable of taking the place of
900 pounds, or about 16 bushels of
corn as a stock feed, thus releasing
the corn for human consumption; 150
pounds of one of the best oils or fats,
for which the whole world stands in
sore need; 300 pounds of hulls to feed
our livestock; and 50 to 75 pounds of
linters to feed the guns that are to
humble the Hun.
Is it for the national good that the
production of such a crop be penalized
by unfair price-fixing? The three
successive short crops are not acci
dental, and any lowering of prices
will result in shorter crops still.
Let us have price-fixing if it will
help us win the war, but let it be fair.
Anything less will not only hurt the
cotton grower, but the whole nation
as well. ? Progressive Farmer.
(iood Advice.
Visitor ? My poor friend, pause to
consider when next you are tempted.
Take time, my dear man, take time.
Convict ? That's wot I done. I did
take time ? 1 took a watch. ? Ex.
TO CRYSTALIZE SPIRIT
OF RALEIGH MEETING.
Col. Fries Telegraphs County
to put Plans to Work. Have
County Meetings and Provide
Speakers for Schools on Wash
ington's Hirthday.
Winston-Salem, Feb. 16. ? A tele
gram of four important requests was
sent yesterday by Col. F. H. Fries,
State Director of War Savings, to
every county Chairman in the State.
The requests made of the Chairman
were that they arrange as soon as
possible to utilize the information and
enthusiasm obtained at thi War Sev
ings Institute held in Raleigh, Tues
day and Wednesday of this week, in
a similar meeting to be held in their
own counties; further, that they pro
vide a speaker for every school in
their counties to explain W. S. S. ?
War Savings Stamps and War Sav
ings Societies ? on the 22nd of Febru
ary, Washington's Birthday; t hat
they have War Savings Stamps on
sale at every school house on that
day, and that they organize War Sav
ings Societies both in the schools and
the school communities.
These requests were made, said Col.
Fries, for the purpose of definitely
shaping and putting to work the ideas
and plans gathered hastily at the Ral
eigh meeting while they are yet clear
in mind. To take home the spirit of
te Raleig meeting and make it mean
to the people of the counties what it
meant to the people of the State is
the purpose of Col. Fries' suggestion
to the county chairmen.
The plan of providing speakers for
the public schools on the 22nd of
February has been facilitated through
the Governor's recent request that all
courts adjourn on this day that
judges, lawyers and other public
speakers may be available for ex
plaining and directing the work of
the War Savings Stamps Campaign.
On Washington's Hirthday the first
great drive toward getting every
child a War Saver and a member of a
War Savings Society will be made.
Furthermore, every child will be
given an opportunity to invest his
savings in Thrift or War Savings
Stamps.
Emergency Fund.
In some of the Eastern schools
there are penny savings-hanks for
children.
Not long ago on a Friday morning
a small youth walked up to the desk
with an important air and withdrew
three cents from his account. Mon
day morning, however, he promptly
returned the money.
"So you didn't spend your three
cents, Francis,'1 remarked the young
woman in charge.
"Oh, no," he replied, "but a fellow
just likes to have a little cash on hand
over Saturday and Sunday." ? Phila
delphia Public Ledger.
Not So Wide of the Mark.
"And now, children, we come to
that important country, Germany,
that is governed by a man called a
kaiser," said the teacher. "Can any
one tell me what a kaiser is? Yes,
Willie!"
"Please, ma'am, a kaiser is a
stream of hot water sprir.gin' up in
the air and disturbin' the earth." ?
life.
NOTICE.
The undersigned having qualified as
Administrator on the estate of Sir
William Johnson, deceased, hereby
notifies all persons having claims
against said estate to present the
same to nu> dulv verified on or before
the 6th day of February, 1919, or this
notice will be pleaded in bar of re
covery; and all persons indebted to
said estate will make immediate pay
ment.
This 4th dav of February, 1918.
JAMES 1). PARKER.
Administrator.
NOTICE OF SALE OF LAND.
Pursuant to the power contained in
the mortgage of J. E. Hocutt and
Dora llocutt, his wife, to O. Marx &
Son, dated February 1, 191(5, and re
corded in the office of the Register of
Deeds of Johnston County, N. C., in
Hook No. 11, Page 210, we will, on
Monday, the 25th day of Feb., 1918,
at 12 o'clock noon, at the door of the
Court House of Johnston County, in
Smithfield, N. C., sell at public auc
tion, to the highest bidder, for cash,
a piece or tract of land lying and
being in Johnston County, N. C.,
bounded by a line beginning at a
stake in Win, H. O'Neal's line on a
branch; thence N. 76 1-2 E. 100 poles
to a pine, said O'Neal's corner; thence
N. 13 W. with W. H. O'Neal's line 70
poles to formerly a pine, now a stake
W. 11. O'Neal's corner; thence N. 8fi
W. along W. II. O'Neal's line t?7 1-2
poles to a pine in said W. H. O'Neal's
line; thence S. 87 W. 25 poles to a
stake in W. H. O'Neal's and A. G.
Bunn's line; thence S. 5 1-2 E. 95
poles to the beginning, containing 50
acres and 1 rod, more or less; ex
cepting 1 acre on the road, lying east
of this tract, sold to Wm. Holder by
I). II. McCullers and wife by deed
dated Dec. 7, 1897. For further de
scription see Book No. 11, page 210,
Johnston County Registry.
This January 19, 1918.
O. MARX & SON.
Hinsdak & Shr.w. Attorneys,
Raleigh, N. C.
What Are Your
Needs?
If It's a Nice Mule or Horse, we Have Just
Received a Car of Nice Choice Mules
9
and can Suit You in Looks,
Quality and Price.
We have also received our season's supply of Plows and Plow Castings.
We bought the largest stock of Plows we have ever bought, and therefore
can save you money on your
Plows and Plow Casting.
(
We have just unloaded a car of International Harvester Co s. Improved
Farm Machinery ? Disc and Section Harrows, Riding Cultivators, Lime and
Manure Spreaders, Guano Distributors, Cotton and Corn Planters. In fact
anything you want in
Farm Machinery
We have it or will get it for you.
We invite you to inspect our "Acme" Harrows, B. & G. Sulky
Plows, Farm Fence, heavy and light weight Poultry wire.
We have a ware house full of Feeds? Red Dog,
Ship Stuff, Molasses and Dairy Feeds.
A Car of Good Flour
Just Unloaded
We have already laid in a good supply of Fertilizer
and can supply you with any analysis. We guarantee
quality and price. Let us figure on your Fertilizer
needs before placing your order.
We strive to make your visits to our store pleasant
and interesting. We carry one of as large stocks as
is carried in the county, and probably the largest of
improved machinery, Kerosene and Gasoline Engines,
and Corn Mills. Our Meadows Whole Wheat Flour
Mills are just the thing to make your war flour.
They Are Cheap For
Their Results
Roberts - Atkinson Co.
SELMA, N. C.