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Show THE GOLD RUSH Workers Rush Into Towns; Stop Farming PADUCAH, Ky. A serious situation situa-tion has come to light In the western west-ern part of Kentucky In the small towns and rural areas. There has been such a mass migration of workers away from the farms that it is almost impossible to hire farm workers. In the last few months more than $700,000,000 worth of industrial plants have announced their intention inten-tion of moving into the area and many have already commenced construction. More than 22,000 workers will be required at the six largest jobs alone, once they reach peak construction-stage employ-ment. employ-ment. Such attractive wages are being offered for comparatively short hours and easy work that sharecroppers, share-croppers, tenants, small towners, and even farm owners themselves have flocked to take advantage of the windfall. Wages Double Crop production in the area is reported re-ported to have fallen greatly, although al-though exact figures are not available. avail-able. But as an example, one farmer farm-er who last year raised a good crop of corn, tobacco and strawberries straw-berries didn't even stick a plow In the ground this year. Now he is employed as a steam-fitter steam-fitter in the atomic plant near Pa-ducah, Pa-ducah, although he had never done that type of work before. The reason: rea-son: hours are shorter and the pay better than farming. At the present moment there are eight counties in western Kentucky feeling the farm labor shortage. In time, other counties in the area will feel it, too. Some workers are driving as much as 75 miles day to reach construction jobs a total 150 a day, going to and from work. Small farmers are at a loss as to what to do about the labor situation. situa-tion. Some of the larger ones, however, are Importing labor. Mexicans Brought In J. E. Terret, who operates a 2,000 acre farm In Fulton county, solved his labor problem by Importing Mexican workers. Last May, Terret brought in 100 Mexicans to help with his 800 acre cotton crop. A $10,000 spinach crop, however, was lost because the workers did not arrive in time to harvest it. The workers live in 20 tenant houses scattered over the farm. They can cook their own food or take meals at a central mess for $1.25 a day. This is the third year Terret has used Mexican workers. Terret, however, is the only farmer farm-er In that part of the state to import im-port foreign labor, but what he has done may be an Indication of the steps other farmers In the area will make in an effort to solve the labor croblem. Farm hands in the area last year were working hard in the fields for $5 a day, or tops of $7.50. Now they are drawing down $15 a day or more ai common laborers at the big construction jobs. |