1912 promised to be a banner year for North Dakota farmers, with predictions of a bountiful harvest for virtually every crop. North Dakota had never seen such a promising harvest. However, there was one big snag, and for a change, it wasn’t the weather—it was a shortage of farm laborers.
Throughout early summer, newspapers had been pleading for workers to head to farms across the state. Complaints arose that while men were lining up at employment agencies in cities, “the fields are crying out for men to relieve them of their heavy burden of crops.” The newspapers issued a plea for farm workers to assist with the harvest. Men arrived from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and even further east, but even high wages of forty-five dollars per month were not enough to fill the vacant positions.
It was estimated that five thousand men were needed for a successful harvest, and this was considered a conservative figure; it was likely that twice that many could find work at excellent wages. Telegrams flooded into employment agencies and Commercial Clubs requesting help. A typical telegram from Lansford read: “We need one hundred more farm laborers here. Can you help us?” The Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railroads announced their cooperation by offering transportation to workers at reasonable rates. Cities as far away as Chicago were flooded with flyers announcing the demand for help on North Dakota farms.
On this date in 1912, the Hope Pioneer announced a program designed to ease the labor shortage. One thousand young men from the high schools and colleges of Fargo would set aside their studies to volunteer on farms across the state. School officials approved a two-week break and urged every able student to assist with the harvest. Students weren’t the only ones rolling up their sleeves; members of the Fargo Commercial Club believed that the state’s prosperity depended on the harvest and pledged their support. About one hundred Fargo businessmen committed to spending at least a week helping with harvesting and threshing. It was all hands on deck to get the harvest in.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Evening Times. “Farm Labor is Scarce and Men Coming in Slowly.” Grand Forks ND. 7/8/1912. Page 4.
- Hope Pioneer. “H.S. Boys Also in Line.” Hope ND. 10/10/1912. Page 1.
- Ward County Independent. “Farmers Make Plea.” Minot ND. 10/3/1912. Page 5.
