The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-02-17
BENEFITS TO FOLLOW ESTAB-
LlSHMENT OF Y. NJ. C. A,
and Reliable Men During the
Harvest Season.

a Young Mems Christian Association
said c. W. Wilcox to the Evening
Statesman today. Il do not know of
another chance for helpfulness along
just this line-certainly not in this
state. l refer to the opportunity to be
helpful to the farmers and to those
whom the farmers will seek to employ
during harvest time. I understand
that the farmers nave considerable
difficulty in getting reliable harvest
hands, and that they often have to go
to places of questionable resort to get
those whom they do secure.
Il predict that the Young Mems
Christian association will again in this
case prove it's wonderful : power of
adaptiveness by meeting the need of
the time and the place here. 1t mas
never failed yet. For instance, it helps
the miners, both under ground and on
the surface; it has adapted it's methods
to the needs of the Indians on the Da-
kota prairies;' it helps the wood chop
pers in the moving lumber camps of
the southern states; street railway men
nave associations, as have steam rail-
way men and college men and colored
men. Foreigners just over from Eu-
rope learn English in association night
III ~, o,,yy oF
study the Bible under the direction Of
the association leaders. I see no rea
son why the Walla walla Young Mems
Christian association may not become
the headquarters of unemployed ha. :
vest hands, during the harvest season.
Farmers would make their wants
known in advance and men could be
booked for them. The association
could secure temporary quarters on
a level with the street to use as tae
resort for these men while waiting for
jobs. College students from all parts
of the state, who want work of this
kind, could obtain from the associa :
ton secretary reliable information as
to tne probable demand forsslabor and
they might even register in advance
of, their coming to the city. If the
dormitories We're not all occupied by
regular tenants, they might be tenn
porarily accommodated with rooms.
1.-The farmers tell me that college
students are a reliable and efficient
class of harvest workers. They are
certainly more reliable than the class
usually found in the saloons. I am
sure, however, that some men go to
the saloons because there is at the
present time no other place for them
to go to. That was the case with a
Sound last summer, who came here to
work in the harvest fields. They had
occasion to spend Sunday afternoon in
Walla Walla, and not being acquaint-
edwith any one in the city, and having
on their working clothes. they did not
feel like presenting themselves at
church. The only place in town where
they could sit down and get cool and
rest-the only place where they were
made welcome-was a saloon. l feel
confident that this conditions will not
long exist.
Many associations have employ
ment departments, some of them re-
quiring the whole time of a man to
look after them. In the case of the
Walla Walla association and harvest
hands, l think the service would be
rendered entirely without charge,
either to the farmers or to the men en-
ployed Many associations make no
charge at all for their helpfulness IN
this direction. Others require the men
helped to positions to join the associa-
tons that get them their positions.
believe the Walla Walla association,
when it once gets established in it's
der a large service to the farmers of
the whole section tributary to this
city.
Il am reminded in this connection
to mention the fact that the farmers
boys will find the association building
a most enjoyable headquarters when
they come to town. There they can go
to wash up after their drive over dusty
roads, the baths and swimming pool
being open to them if they are mem
bers, as many of them will surely be.
They could have their lockers where
they could keep changes Of clothes for
use while in town, if they cared to
change. They could attend the enter
tainments, lectures. etc.. and get into
the gymnasium classes. The building
will be big enough and there will be
sufficient variety in the activities Of
fered, so that every class of young men
will find what they need, and no class
will interfere with any other.