Ex-Service Men on the Land.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15699, 19 September 1916, Page 6

Ex-Service Men on the Land.

The committee appointed by the President of the British Board of Agriculture to consider the question of the settlement and employment on the land of discharged naval men and soldiers have presented their final report. It is pointed out that the great majority of ex-Service men will firstly have to gain their living by employment as agricultural labourers, and not immediately as small holders, so that employment is a much larger problem than settlement. The report is confined to dealing with the employment of these men in agriculture, and thus providing a "ladder" by which the industrious and enterprising labourer can obtain a small holding as a result; of his industry and intelligence. The* committee divided the question of employment under three heads:—(l) The shortage of agricultural labour which will exist at the end of tho war; (2) how to meet any serious amount of unemployment which may occur on demobilisation, and (3) employment occasioned by an extension and development of the agricultural

industry,

Th© committee estimate that 320,000 men have left the land since the beginning of the war, and others will be added before the end of the -war, and the number ■who will not go back to th© land is estimated at 25 per cent, of the enlistments. To make up this shortage and prevent a further reduction of agricultural production and population, and to take the place of children temporarily employed, and of women who will discontinue agricultural work on the declaration of peace, the committee are forced to the conclusion that a considerable number of ex-Service men not previously employed in farm work will have to be brought into British agriculture. Regarding the possibility of emigration of exService men, the committee think a good deal might bo done to bring home to them not only the advantages of life in a more settled' country, but to improve the conditions that have hitherto prevailed. The committee were divided in opinion on the question of wages, four members being in favour of the establishment of a minimum Wage, as they considered that if prices of farm produce fell after the war, agricultural wages would also fall, and thu6 prevent the influx of labour into agriculture ; while five members thought that the conditions after the war would be such that the present high rates of agricultural wages would be maintained. The committee recommended the adoption of schemes of profit-sharing as possibly having the effect 'of retaining akricultura.l labourers on the land, of encouraging thrift, and of improving, the relationships between employer and employed. Improvement in housing conditions was considered necessary, and it was recommended that advantago should be taken of recent Acts of Parliament for the purpose of erecting cottages, and that war memorials might take the shape of groups of cottages for ex-Servico men. More opportunities for recreation and selfimprovement were wanted, and these were summarised as follows:—A good garden, opportunity of renting .an allotment, proximity of a good school with a rural bias, brighter village life (clubroom, library, recreation grounds), and improved organisation of co-operation and agricultural credit, enabling the aspiring labourer to ascend the ''ladder" to a small holding. A number of suggestions were made for training inexperienced men before they obtained agricultural employment, and the development of the Labour Exchange in rural districts was recommended,' and that landowners and farmers should be appealed to, asking them to give preference to discharged sailors and soldiers.

Regarding the possibility of a serioua condition of unemployment on demobilisation, it "WO6 considered important that among the schemes of remunerative works of improvement the State should include reclamation of waste lands, and afforestation. The importance of increasing the homo production of food, on the grounds of physique and health, was emphasised, arid the committee were convinced that advantage should be taken of the opportunity of securing a great reinforcement of farm workers and rural population over and above merely supplying tho deficiency caused by the war. The committee suggested the following measures as being most worthy of consideration, in order to ensure stability of prices for agricultural produce:—(l) A guarantee by the State of a minimum price for home-grown wheat for a period, to give confidence to the 'farmers; (2} an offer by the State of a bonus for each acre of permanent grass land brought under the plough and

kept .in a proper state of cultivation; (3) the imposition of import duties on

agricultural produce to give the protection that is necessary to tho farmer. A minority report presented by tho membere expresses the opinion that tho majority report fails to find a solution of the problem of making the conditions of life good enough to attract ex-Sorvicc men, and that emergency legislation is necessary to enable more men to be employed in agriculture in time, as they assumed that demobilisation would be rapid, and they emphasised the need for minimum wage legislation and the establishment of Wages Boards. Many excellent suggestions nave been made by the committee, but thero is a good deal of truth in the views expressed in the minority report, that more expedition will be required to have the schemes ready for operation as eoon as tho men arc discharged after the war. It will mean a new agricultural policy, which must be undertaken during tho war.