Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-29
BOY SCOUTS QUIT
EASTERN SHORE
Give Up Effort to Help Farmers
Save Big Potato
Crop.
BRYAN ISSUES STATEMENT
Planters Order Work Stopped,
and Will Not Pay Boys for
Time Lost.
BRYAN ISSUES STATEMENT

AN'SAiVohd SouHcll, 5vO OF tNc
Boy Scouts who went to the Eastern
Shore to asst the truckers in digging
their 1000, 900 barrel potato crop. will
return to their homes here to-day.
Scouts from Petersburg. Norfolk and
other camps are also returning. and
OF the nearly 1000 boys who went TO
tho Eastern Shore, only few will
remain and these of their own Volt
tfon and not as Scout orEanizat tions.
While the Scouts met discouraging
conditions when they reached the
shore last Thursday. because of lack
OF preparations TO receive and direct
them. these were quickly overcome.
and II is only bccauCe of lack Of work
that they have been ordered to return.
They had been promised - cents a
barrel for picking UP potatoes. and had
been assured they could pick up twenty
barrels a day. They found that the
best they could do was about ten bar
rels. while their expenses ran about
rs cents day.
On Wednesday, the truckers, who
are closely organized. issued order
that no more potatoes would be dug
for, one week. thus leaving the Scouts
with nothing to do. MIR. Bryan and
other Scout officers sought TO have
the truckers pay the expenses OF the
boys until digging was resumed. but
this was refused, the farmers saying
that because Of the blight the yield
already had been light and the har
vesting Improbable. The order TO the
boys to return home followed.
ORDER CAUSED ny
GLUTTED POTATO MARKET
The order to suspend digging pota-
toes apparently was caused by the
Ylutted condition OF the New York
market and the congestion on the New
York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Rail-
road. on which line the Eastern Shore
is dependent. In this connection II is
noted by the Scout officials that the
price of potatoes has dropped about So
a barrel. although it is not claimed that
this was the cause Of the order TO stop
harvesting the crop.
Fairfax c. Jones. OF the Scout
officials. who returned TO Richmond
yesterday. said that the Scouts had no
complaints to make about their treat
ment on the Eastern Shore at the hands
OF the truckers except that the boys
had answered their cry for aid 10 save
their crops and then had stopped work
and left them idle. Practically all of
the boys. he SAID. were willing to con-
tinue their work.
The weeks camping expenses OF the
Scouts amounted to about $500. while
they were able TO earn only about 1896
BRYAN TELLS WHY
SCOUTS ARE RETURNING
Mr.. Bryan issued the following state
ment at Cape Charles last night:
"After a full discussion between all
Scout masters il was decided 20. day
:hat, owing 20 the embargo ami blight
on potatoes, the Scouts would ieturn
to Richmond and Petersburg and
Washington. Scout masters were most
reluctant to make this change in their
plans. but when they made 4 more
detailed survey of the cost of carry
ing on the Scout camps and were con-
fronted with the fact that under the
. present rates OF pay and term OF en-
ploynent it was impossible for the
Scouts to break even. they accepted
the situation and voted for return.
ut has been disappointment TO 4
number of boys who felt that they
were physically able 10 continue at
their task for six or eight weeks. Lut
the experience of the past week and
the fuller understanding OF what was
involved in the situation made it plain
to every one that nothing could be
done but abandon the Eastern Shore.
AS has been pointed out the Scouts
only received l5 cents per barrel at
two camps, and an investigation seems
to shew that 20 and % cents per barrel
was being paid by farmers to negro
labor. 1t would be fair to say that
the Scouts have not been treated with
liberality. Many of the farmers have
been very courteous and hospitable.
and Scout Masters Ragland and Poole
said to-day that they had nothing but
the kindest feelings for the men in
their locality, but courtesy has not
paid the grocery bill. and the Scouts
have proved to the satisfaction of al
that under the condition which they
were working 1t was impossible to
meet the necessary expenses.
BOYS HAVE MADE FRIENDS
WHEREVER THEY HAVE GONE
Some of the Scout masters, notably
Messrs. Poole and Calisch, were espe-
cially 1oath to go because they felt
that their boys had borne very heavy
financial burdens and could with bet
ter experience make up their losses.
but it was felt by all the Scout masters
that as the movement had been under
taken as a body, 1t was not desirable
to leave part of the Scouts here and
take the others home, and so the Scouts
Will return.
This much can be said: that the
boys have made friends for themselves
wherever they have gone. and they
have done their work with such eff
cheney and vigor as TO surprise the
neighborhood. Doubtless the farmers
OF the Eastern Shore spoke in good
faith when they declared that boys
could readily earn from s:.50 TO SO
dav. Perhanc fhev htf ho for
ers' own children do not attempt it for
themselves. and they don't have to. for
two counties raise 100000 barrels Of
potatoes and sell them at 50 a barrel.
1t Is the Eastern Shore farmer. and not
the city dweller. who is the plutocrat
to-day"