USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of the activities of the people of Lackawanna County in the world war : under the supervision of the Pennsylvania Council of National Defense and Committee of Public Safety > Part 4
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Loans to Farmers.
To encounter this possible obstacle to producing a n xi- mum of food supply from the farms, and to encounter other obstacles traced to a want of capital, it was planned to loan money in small amounts to those farmers needing it most. The igricultural Pre- paredness League, Mr. Joseph M. Stevenson, Secretary, was organized, with the farmers of the County as members. A number of carloads of seed potatoes were shipped into the County, together with some
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other vegetaole and cereal seeds; and they were sold to the farmers at a price considerably lowor than the Market fico, so that it might pay the farmers to lant bo'atoos. calthy citizens of Seranton made up a fund of about !15,000, part of which was expended in this subsi y, and the greator part of which was loaned. to farmers on their personal notes. In the course of two years these loans were rengid and most of the money found its way back to the gentlemen who had advanced it. The deficit, due to expense, was less than had been expected. The enterprise was well lanned, but carried out with indifferont success ; but it had undoubtedly the effect of giving vigor to the agricultural production of the County, in demonstrating that the Committee of Public Safety meant business, and it increased the food supply at a time when every potato and every grain of wheat counted, no matter where in the United States they were produced.
Farm
Labor.
All through the war the ques ion of farm labor was a most vital one . Even before the war, had it paid him to do so, the farmer could have produced wore had enough labor of the right kind been available. In regard to experienced labor the farms
were hit very hard by the war. In Laczava na County the bost
"hired man" is the farmer's own son, Che non wanted to ro to mor; and he went, either as a volunteer or a drafted man. He didn't wort
an exemption. In the papers and correspondence of Mr. stevercon, Secretary of the Agricultural Proparedness Leagre and later Execu-
- tive Secretary of the Committee of Public Safety and United states Employment Agent, constantly recur statements to the effect that
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not only active service, but the industries also, vere drawing labor from the farms; and that the adult labor that the bureau was able to send to the farms was inexperienced, lazy, and unsa is- factory.
The Agricultural Preparedness League and the Farm Labor Bureau, both departments under the supervision of the Com ittee of Public Safety, made every possible effort to solve the labor problem for the farmer. The following extracts from a report of June 19, 1917, just at the beginning of difficulties, show what efforts more being made to stimulate production in Lackawanna County.
"Up to date vo have $3500 subscribed. Loans up to 2600 have been made to responsible farmers who would double or materially increase their acreage of staple crons.
"Backed by an offer to purchase ten thousand bushels of potatoes, the League is making contracts with farmers to take the product from their additional acreage.
"An employment bureau has been maintained and several hundred laborers have been directed to the farms.
"A potatoless week campaign carried on in the City resulted in hundreds of bushels of old potatoes being sont back to the country for seed. Several cars of potatoes have been purchased and re-sold to the farmers at cost. We have a car on the switch this week.
"Options on two thousand bushels of seed buckwheat were secured from the millers in this section to bo ro-sold to the farmers at cost.
"Food investigation disclosed the fact that . 1000 cars or forty million pounds less food vere shipped into the City during the last year than during the preceding year. This is a 20% decrease in the food supply. We looked for a correspond- ing reduction in the garbage and found a one per cent increase. Warnings are being published in the newsoopers o be more saving."
School Boys on Farms.
Through the city high schools and borough high schools, 1 the Boys' Working Reserve, boys? industrial leagues and similar institutions, there came a great many offers to help in farm wort.
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Boys too young to go to war and untrained in the mechanical trades were considered available formany times of Zarn work. Under the officials of the Committee of Public safety any boys were sent to the farms during The summere of 1917 and 1913; and in two or three places camps of boys were established under a
responsible superintendent, who sent the boys in small groups 0 the neighboring farms during the day. The Boy scouts brought much credit to themselves by engaging in far and pardon work. Although reports from farmers did not show any great enthusiasm for the amount of help given them by the boys, inmost cases, Je it is certain that without this emergency assistance the production in the County would have been much less. It all counted.
Farm Production.
Whatever the obstacles, the officials of the Committee of Public Safety co-operating with the farmers succeeded in in- creasing the food production of the County at least fronty per cent It must be understood, however, that it is a la of human nature that man is commercial; and he may more often than not be high-principled in his atriotism and a: the som time commercial It conformed to both the patriotic spirit and the commercial in- stinet of the farmer to produce all the 2ood-stuffs he could
during the war. Never before had the farmers of this part of the State the opportunity to make a real economic profit, and he had
usually made an indifferent vage; and never before hal it aupo-lod to him as a patriotic duty to produce all he conla. Never before had anybody cared whether he produced or didn't produce. And it
must have been a shock to his sonsibilities to have every govern- mental and voluntary agency begging him to sor and roep. There-
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fore, commercial instinct as well as the efforts of the Committee was responsible for the increase in form prodne ion.
Farm Labor Manager.
In order that the farm labor problom might be handled as capably as possible a special agent working under the direction of the Committee and its Executive Secretary, was employed with the title of Farm Labor Manager in the spring of 1918. The first Farm Labor Manager, Mr. John F. Ruddy, a newspaper man, combined the in- ties of Farm Labor Manager and publici y writer; in both of which capacities, working through the office of he Executive Secretary, his work was most satisfactory. He had hardly begun when he on- tered the service in June, 1918. He was succeeded as Farm Labor . Manager by Mr. Dayton Ellis, Principal of the Dunmore High School, who was able to devote his whole attention to this patriotic duty
until September. By that time he had so systomatized the work of supplying farms with emergency labor that he carried on the work to- gether with his educational duties until the end of the war to the great satisfaction of the farmers of the County. A rorors of the Executive Secretary, October 1. 1918, roads in vart as follows :
"My. Ellie' Labor rerort for the past week is: Applicants for positions, 16; calls for help, 15; placements made, 11; calls for help unfilled, 10.
"This is ar average weekly report, a little below normal if any thing. The Lackawanna Valley, with its two hundred and fifty thousand people, is practically allof the market for the produce of the people living to its east and west, and the mar- ket for much imported farm produce as well. When these far- mers come to market they take back men to help them in emor- gencios. In addition to this our farmers co-operate with each other in the exchange of labor to a very great extent. fell back on Mr. Ellis in cases of extremity; and so, as a re- sult of these conditions, Mr. Ellis' roport of placements made I amounts to only a small percentage of the number of persons who hire out to the farmers during each week. Mr. Ellis also constantly co-operates with the Lackavanna County Food Adminis- trator, Mr. Charles A. Bolin, in gathering information of all
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sorts relating to agricultural and food problems throughout the County.
The Executive secretary's report of November 1, 1918,
roads as follows:
"During the epidemic, Mr. Dayton Dilis, Farm Labor Man- ager, has supplied the farmers with a grea. many school boys, who hore picked the apples, nelped dig potatoes, and assisted in harvesting lato crons. It is estinoted that the farmers are farther ahead in their works than they have ever doch be- foro at this time of year."
And it would not be amiss to grasp the opportunity to
read Professor Ellis' final report.
Dunmore, Pa., November 30,1918.
Mir. Engeno H. Fellows, Executivo secretary, Committee of Public Safety, Scranton, T'a.
My dear Mr. Follows:
My appointment as Lackawanna County Part. Labor Manager expiros to-day. The office was originally designed as a war emergency service and now that the war is over the need of it no longer czists.
In closing up my work I wish to submit a brief report of farm labor activities in Lakkawanna County since I entered upon the duties of the office on June 8and last. During that time over two hundred and fifty men and boys and four women have been sent from the city to work on nearby farms. While this is the most tangible evidence of the season's work it does not roprosent the sum total of the assistance given "he farmers in solving the labor problem. During the summer I
visitod every part of the County to investigate labor con- ditions first-hand, to encourage the farmers to co-operate with each other by the exchange of labor. Ly township Farm Labor Representatives, all of whom were practical farners, alco did good service in advising and encouraging their neighbors. I had at least one stch man in each agricultural township in the County.
I alsc improved opportunities offered to me by addres- sing numerous gatherings of farmers. At the Orchard Demon- stration and Stock Judging Contest, held on the E. B. Gritmon Farm, Last Benton, August 27th, upwards of three thousand farmors were present. I spoke to them of the work of the Department and showed them that a propor distribution of farm labor could bebrought about only by a co-operation of all parties interostel.
At different times during the summer, I furnished infor- mation to the Lackawanna County Food Administrator, Mr. C.
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Belin, regarding the damare done to sheep by dore; and also of the efficiency of threshing machinery through a. the County; and concerning the condition of the season's growing crops.
In addition to the organization of my township represen- tatives, whose placements of farm labor are not in my records of my report, I assisted Mrs. Black of Philogelo ia wit the organization of the Society of Pennsylvania Farm women in our County.
I wish to adknowledge the generous assistance given me during the summer by Mr. A. J. Bevan, County Director of the United States Boys' Working heserve, and also by Mr. Paul B. Belin, Chairman of the Commiteee of Civilian Service. I especially appreciate the great courseny and valuable assis- tance given me by Miss Mullen of four office.
In closing I wish to say that I believe that we have in this County as intelligent, progressivo, and patriotic a class of farmers as cun be found in the United States. It has been a pleasure to work with them.
Respectfully sub sitod, ( Signed ) Dayton Ellis
Organization for Food Supply.
It was realized by men and women throughout Jackavama County that the questions of food production and food conservation were to be of primary importance to the people who were to fight the war at home, even prior to the Declaration of war by Congress. As can readily be appreciated, the people of the County did not avait orders but exercised ordinary initiativo. In all ars of the County, committees, large and small, self-appointed or appointed by local mass-meetings, took uo the questions of food production and conservation in their own sensible way. Theso questions ap- peeled especially to the women; and throughout the war the quos- tions relating to the food supply enlisted the interest of orac- tically all the women of the County.
The Committee of Public Safety, from the central
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Executive Committee cut through overy ranification of this large and comprehensive organiza ion, war cofrizan of the way in which questions of food supply were being handled in all parts of the County. Colonel batres, presiding over frequent meetings of the Executivo Co. mittee, was kept informed by constant correspondence and by personal reports of the activities of these at first semi-independent food organizations. There was always a disposition throughout the war on the part of the good bee 10 ~2 the County, to be a part of the Com ittee of Public Safety and to adhere closely to the plans and programme outlined by the Commit- tee: becarse the object of every individual was to do his share in winning the war, and it was seen by all that organization was necessary. Without any talk about discipline, some thing vory liro discipline prevailed
It is remarkable that whenovor Mr. Goorge Wharton Pepper or any of the chiefs or administrators of departments under him, sont a mandatory order or a suggestive direction to the Com- mittee unilor Chairman Hatres, Lackawanna County was already ore- pared by the initiative of its citizens or the forethought of Colonel Watres and his Committee, to out the order of suggestion into immediato affect.
Food Administrator.
On November 13, 1917, M. Howard Heinz, Director of the Department of Food Supply of the Pennsylvania Committee of Public Safety, wrote the following to Colonel Hatres.
"While we realize that Lackawanna County has an organi- zabion well fitted to handle the problems of the Department of Food Supply, we are anious to get a general outline of the condition of all organize ions in the state and will ap- preciate it very much if you will write to us at oner, giving us in a measure an outline of preparations made by you for the handling of food problems, which we will be called upon
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bo solvo.
"Judging from the recent increased activities of the Federal Food Administration at washington, it will be bit a short time before we are called upon to do some important work and we realize the i portanco of having a thorough of- ganization in every county. We would particularly like to know what success you have had in appointing township sub- committees, which we feel are so essential in reaching every vicinivy
The organization was all here -- nad been, for onuns It was so satisfactory that nothing had to be done in regard to local sub-committees. The food question hud becomo vital, and the central management of it so complicated, however, by this time, that Colonel watros recommended to the _ xecutive Commiulec of the County, November 15, that a Food Administrator for Lackawanna County be appointed, to work under the direction of the County and State Committoes of Public Safety.
On November 1 , 1917, to dayo afer Mr. Heinz had written to Colonel watros, Mr. Charles A. Belin was appointed Food Administrator, a position which he occupied until after the end of the war . No more hanny an appointment could have been made . The business interests of My. Belin had always been within
the City of Scranton. His residence, for some tino previous, had boen and still is, in the Borough of favorly, in the midst of the agricultural district "north of the mountains". Incidentally,
he wer burgess of waverly. He had a deep inderstanding of muh- Jie affairs from the standpoint of the anecessful business can of seranton; and he had been able to nare a study of food productio;
through his acquaintance with the farmers of the Abingtons.
He
was so situated, personally, that he could devote and did devote practically his whole attention to the administration of the fe- partment to which he was appointed. He turned his office in the Connell Building into a war office in which he and his assistants
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dealt in matters relating to sugar, potatoes, pigs, poultry, but- ter, and groceries. He employed his own office help and called upon other citizens for volunteer aid when a shortage, say of supar; required immediate attention. His office, too, became a bureau of information; and from it all sorts of bulletins on food topics were distributed.
It is impossible to narrate all the activities engaged in from this office. There were many vexing problems that vere necessarily small and of morest detail -- just as highly important as the big questions of policy. How to can vegetables, for ine stance, was second in importance only to how to raise vegetables. This department, too, in its administration was obliged o deal in a different way with each of many retail and wholesale merchants; and, since now questions on food supply and food conservation arose weekly, sometimes daily, Mr. Belin, Mr. Martin, and Mr. Cahoon were constantly waking up new phases of the food problem.
At one time the great bulk of the work done consisted of personal calls made by retail merchants and the redemption of can- ning certificates made to them to their customers. In each case Mr. Belin or some one of his assistants was obliged to give three, five, sometimes ten minutes; and to make out sugar purchasing cer- tificatos to cover the canning blanks returned by them. These calls ran as high as one hundred and fifty a day. At times thre or four people were busy in Mr. Belin's office almost continuously all day long on this one branch of the work.
As an illustration of the exercise of war authority, when it became necessary Mr. Belin declined to allow any of the retail merchan's to sell sugar for canning purposes on canning blanks, andi required all customers who desired sugar for canning to call por-
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sonally at his office. This entailed still more work and brought an additional hundred or more individuals, mostly women, to the office each day with an explanation, sep rate, different, and ver- sonal, of course, as to just what they wanted sugar for. Hany a family history did Mr. Belin listen to. But Mr. Belin was sure that in handling the matter in this way, dishonest people were de- terred from securing sugar from their grocers and using it for
other purposes than canning. The illustration demonstrates how comprehensive a view of conditions the Food Administrator hod, and what pains he was at to perform his duty.
Prices.
He also held weekly price meetings at which various members of the Retail Merchants' Association, representatives of the wholesale merchants, and representatives of the chain stores met with him. Prices and profits were discussed, and the proper prices governing essential commodities were docided upon. A representative of the Carbondale Merchants' Association came nineteen miles every week to attend these meetings and to take back and put into operation the report in his city. Reports were sent to Mr. Heinz and to the National Food Administration at Washington and were published in all the newspapers in the County.
Refused Shipments.
The office of the Food Administrator took up the ques- tions of refused shipments and unloaded cars standing on switches beyond the freight period allowed by the Railroad Administration. The Shipments wore inspected and the cause of refusal ascertained.
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Mr. Belin and Mr. Martin held a nu ber of hearings in cares of refused shipments and in practically ever, case succeeded in pro- perly adjusting the master and in having the goods unloaded. Finally, as a war measure, Mr. Belin insisted in every case that the goods be unloaded and the goods be thereafter laid before his department. He openly announced that as food administrator he would not tolerate any unjustifiable refusal of goods.
Investigations.
The Department of Food Administration, supported by the Executive Committee of Public Safety, brought in special investi- gators to conduct investigations in various corporations as to the unwarranted increased price in several of the essential commodities; and it is prosumed that this investigation had its effect upon keeping prices from advancing too rapidly.
A complete investigation of the flour situation was modo, and every wholesaler was required to file the names and adresses of all persons or firms to whom they sold flour. The Food Admini- strator found a number of irregularities in the sale of flour and . unearthed a great deal of hoarding. The matter was thoroughly
advertised; and hoarders came to be classed by the public in the same category as slackers.
Bakeries.
In connection with the office of Food Administrator the division of Bakeries was established, with Mr. Paul williams as lieutenant-baker of the County. This division, with a cloth on duty continuously, checked up bakers' reports, sent out information, circulars, and instructions to bakers; and an inspector was em-
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ployed to inspect bakeries and to check up stocks and the use of substitutes; and each baker's report was subjected to the : closest scrutiny.
Next to the office of the Executive Secretary the office of the food Administrator was the most busy lace in the City, there being innumerable personal calls at the office and thousands of telephone calls ench month.
Hog and Cattle Census.
Date in the war, that is, in October, 1918, Mr. Belin received instructions to conduct a hog and cattle census of the County. He had made very extensive preparations to have this census a complete one, having enlisted the services of evory local unit and member of the Committee of Public Safety, and of all the educational systems. The terrible visitation of the epidemic of influenza delayed this and many other plans until after the Armistice; and the census was never taken.
Plans for the Future.
Mr. Bolin's war administration of food closed with any far-reaching plans for the coming winter, spring, and summer in mind; and one of these plans, at least, continued in operation in Lackawanna County for just about two years after the war. It would be very difficult to exaggerate the importance of the services of Mr. Charles A. Belin and his department during the critical stages of the war. The Executive Committee and the Executive Secretary had that one immense problem taken almost entirely off their hands, thoroughly confident at all times that
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the problems of food production and food conservation were being handled by a mature and able man who was doing at the time nothing else. I can not refrain from mentioning that Mr. Belin paid all the expenses connected with the Department of Food Administration of the County himself.
War Spirit
Besides the practical management of the matters con- nected with food production and conservation, from before the bo- ginning of the war through to the end and after the end of the war to the present time, the Committee of Public Safety, the Executive Committee, the press representatives and the newspapers, combined with the citizens themselves to build up a strong feeling of con- science in regard to war duties and civic duties. Food Adminis- trator Belin in his practical management never let the people for- get the moral side of the question. The people were shown that it was not a matter of what they as individuals could afford to use, but what the Nation could afford, that counted. Production and Conservation wore regarded as the highest patriotic duties.
Fair Price Commission.
That set of operations which found its origin in the work of the Food Administration during the war and continued to live after the war as a public enterprise was the organiza ion and continuation of the Fair Price Commission. The able advisor, who always stood side by side with him in all emergencies, of Mr. Belin, was Mr. M. J. Martin, one of the most prominent lawyers at the Lackawanna County Bar. During the war Mr. Martin paid par-
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ticular attention to that branch of the Food Administration re- lating to prices; and he viewed and administered the matters before him largely from the legal standpoint.
After many of the necessities of food administration had ceased, Mr. Martin continued at the head of a voluntary Fair Price Committee. Mr. Donald B. Cahoon, acting as voluntary secretary of the Committee, spent many hours upon its work. The Committee was made up of several retail and wholesale merchants of the City, and of some others. During 1919 it met weekly, determined upon the prices of staple commodities, published schedules of prices in the newspapers, and used the moral support of public opinion to compel adherence to these prices. The most important result attained was to make profiteering so very unpopular that the mer- chant profiteer always ran the risk of being boycotted by his customers. It is certain that the buying public was saved a great deal of money by the zeal and good judgment of Mir. Martin's Committee.
Under the Lever Act of 1917 this Committee toward the end of 1919 began prosecutions against some few profiteers, princi- pally on dealings in sugar. It can not be said that the prose- cutions were attanded with any other success than the frightening of some merchants who might otherwise have been unscrupulous in their dealings with customers. It must be understood that up to January, 1920, this Committee or Commission was voluntary and without any authority save that which was received from public opinion.
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