W.P.A. and Japs Should Help Avert Nation's Farm Crisis

The President asks Congress for a supplementary appropriation of $100,000,000 for the W.P.A. This, he believes, is needed to provide work and training for persons displaced from private employment as a result of the war program.

On the same day the President asked this appropriation, the Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce unanimously voted in favor of suspending all work on W.P.A. projects and diverting W.P.A. manpower to farm work. The chamber also urges that draft boards give careful consideration to the deferment of experienced farmers and farm hands, in order to maintain farm production in the necessary volume.

From all parts of the country came reports of shortage in farm help. Spring here, and farm land must be cultivated and planted at once if to be productive this year. In our own neighborhood the situation is made more emergent by the pending evacuation of alien farmers and truck gardeners.

There are no more diligent tillers of the soil than the Japanese. If moved from where they are, they should be placed where they can be usefully employed at familiar tasks; and, of course, they should be adequately paid for their work.

By such means, as well as by diversion of W.P.A. labor from postponable projects to the farms, also be fairly paid by those for whom they work, spring planting may be set under way and indispensable crops assured. Decisions must be quickly reached and acted upon without delay.