The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-05-17
CALKINS HEADS
DEFENSE COUNCIL
LABOR PROBLEMS TO BE HANDLED
Brewer Tells Of Plans For Huge Mobile
Army Community Leaders
Make Survey

1T is my earnest belief" was the
encouraging message to local fruit
growers from j. w. Brewer, of The
Dalles, who has charge of the organic
alton of food production and labor
campaigns in Hood River, Morrow,
Gillian and Sherman counties and who
was here Friday night to organize 8
local branch of the National Defense
Council, THAT the labor situation fol-
you fruit growers the coming harvest
season is going to be handled with
greater ease than during normal
times"
Mr.. Brewer, who was accompanied by
H. G. Miller, of the Dalles, the latter
urging local people to can maximum
amount of fruits and staple food prod
ucts the coming summer, told his audi.
ence, composed for the most part OF
ranchers who were in charge of com.
munitywide meetings held Saturday
and Sunday ssof the plans now under
way for the enlistment of a mobile
army of laborers, mostly young men,
who will Ia brought here in large
numbers to assist in picking strawber.
ries, the cultivation and picking of ap.
pies. According TO the plan as an.
nounced by Mr.. Brewer, experienced
young men enlisting in the labor army,
which will reach upwards of 1000, will
be guaranteed a minimum wage of
S27. so per month. inexperienced men
will begin on minimum of SIT. so pei
month, the wage to increase by certain
gradations, as the workers become pro.
ficient. Where piece work is done, the
workman's army will receive the going
wage.
T. D. Calkins, a Frankton truck
gardener, was elected president of the
local National Defense Council r. E.
Scott was named secretary. Commun-
ity committeeman weresnamed as fol.
lows: Willow Flat, Chas. Fuller
Barrett, j. B. Lister; East Barrett,
W. w. Rodwell; Oak Grove, d. l..
Pierson; Odell, o. L. Walter; Pine
Grove, N. E. Fertig; Dee. W. F.
Shannon; Parkdale, Rev. W. H. Bod
dy; Valley Crest, c. P. Johannsen
Mount Hood, H. C. Wyatt; Viento, S.
W. Curran; Wyeth, James Gorton
Cascade Locks, A. o. Adams; j. O..
Mclaughlin, city schools; Mrs. W. l..
Clark, representing the,W ,Woman's club,
and C. d. Nickelsen, Hood River.
Committeeman at large were ap-
pointed as follows: Leroy Childs, l..
B. Gibson, and j. H. Koberg.
The committeeman, acting as cap
tains Saturday and Sunday attended
various valley meetings and took a
comprehensive survey of the paintings
of food products and the labor needs
for the next two years.
ID. l.. Pierson, of Oak Grove, stated
that many of the ranchers of his dis
trict were ready and willing to plant
large acreages of staple food products
if they would be assured that the prod
ucts. s.would not be manipulated. by spec
ulators.
"A large number of my neighbors, +"
said Mr.. Pierson, ''if they know the
food is going to be used by the gov
ernment, are willing to plant heavily,
even though they get nothing for it,
but if the spectators are going to get
control of it, they say they will not
plant a seed."
T. ID. Calkins proposed that the
strawberry harvest might be facilitat
ed by the establishment of central la
Dor camps, the men to be moved from
point to point under military dis
cipline. W. F. Shannon, of Dee, how
ever, opposed such plan, stating that
it would be far better for each man to
secure the labor needed for his tract
and to keep the men constantly en-
ployed at one point.
L. B. Gibson stated that in 40 mile
ride over the valley he had seen more
women and children engaged in field
work than ever in any former year.
1.-THE women and children are busy
in the fields" said Prof. Gibson, "hoe-
ing crops and assisting with the plant
ing. The women and children, not
only of the valley, but of the city as
well, will do much toward saving the
crops of the community.
Prof. Gibson told of the plan of a
local canning company to enlist Boy
Scouts in the food production cam
paign. The Gamers furnish the boys
with seed beans, and contract to pur-
chase all the product grown at four
cents per pound.