The Glenwood post., 1917-11-24
NO JOB FOR A
VOLUNTEER WORKER


Here is hard-luck story of an unus-
ual type. An able bodied man of sixty,
in independent circumstances and with
out dependents, professionally trained,
and former newspaper owner and
writer, decided-and after taking all
the Liberty bonds he could afford
that he would further serve his country
by "doing his btu himself, or by ,e-
leasing younger man from some nes-
essary labor. He tells in the New York
Sun how his efforts to help his Uncle
Sam were first met at every turn by
refusals or red tape:
First I applied for enlistment in the
national guard as private, hospital or
derly, or anything. I served in the
guard as subaltern officer long ago
and was fairly good soldier, but
had no thought of asking for a COM
mission. Having. passed the physical
examination, I had influence enough to
get three minutes with the secretary Of
war himself. I presented the surgeons
certificate and stated my case, offering
to deposit cash to pay the cost Of send
ing me back home in case of death or
breakdown and to waive all claims
against the government for pension or
allowances. After a few days I re-
ceived polite note saying it was i'm.
possible.
L had the same experience with the
navy, although I have had probably
more actual experience as deep-sea
sailor than the average young officer.
An interest in southern farm gave
ME the disposal of about a thousand
barrels of potatoes. I went to the com
missary department and offered to let
the government have these virtually at
its own price and southern potatoes a
month ago were almost like gold. q
was referred to Governors Island. What
I had heard Of the experiences Of others
convinced me that I would have the
same chance Of definite and satisfac.
tory answer by dropping my letter into
the Hudson river. 80 some Of the DO
tatoes have been sold at very salts
factory profit and others are in cold
storage.
I wrote to Mr.. Hoover, volunteering
to serve on the food conservation work,
reciting my qualifications and expert.
ence, the service to be without pay, of
course. Back came the same kind of a
circular that would have been sent in
reply to piteous plea for thousand
dollar clerkship in one of the depart
ments and promise to put the "appli-
on file.
volunteered to help get in the harvest
on farm, without pay. I really en-
joyed the work and took off fifteen
pounds of meat. I was better at it
than the average boy scout of sixteen,
but colored field hand of twenty who
avoided all lost motion
"Au f''aNS SfSiy ihoNe CouhI WdS dDOuU
five times as effective as any of us
amateurs. The farmer told me can
didly that during the last few days I
would have earned my board, if |
hadn't paid for it, but that the boys
would not earn theirs. He considered
that after another week of practice and
observation 7 might be worth my board
and rs cents day as harvest hand,
but that the first two weeks work of
farm labor would be deal
loss to a farmer who undertook to
board it without other pay. That two
weeks is the critical time of the whole
year for important crops.
Being an old newspaper man, former
ly newspaper owner, I wrote to the
editors of two dailies offer.
ing to take the place of any young man
who might have to go to the front, to
hold his job for him, and to turn over
the pay to his family or dependents,
prompt dismissal to be accepted if serv-
ice proved unsatisfactory. One never
replied; perhaps he thought he detected
new and fancy way of working him
for job. The other brilliant brother
answered vaguely, asking if it was ny
idea to "make story Of It,"
I read in the papers of concern in
Pittsburg that wanted 1000 men to be
locked in ten months to work on a Ie-
cret device for the government and
promptly wrote offering to serve. No
reply.
Reading that several thousand mon
ineligible for active service will be
needed in Tho nnartarma,for dan.r+mon+