Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-16
WOULD ENLIST
FARMERSN ARMY
Secretary Patton Makes Sug-
gestion For the Farm Hands
of the Country

Immediate formation of an agri-
cultural army in Pennsylvania was
urged by Secretary of Agriculture
Charles L. Patton in an outline for
township and county cooperation to
bring about the maximum production
of all food materials on the farms OF
this state.
secretary Patton urges the imme-
ulate formation of township agricul-
tural organizations along military
llnes' with captain, lieutenant, four
sergeants. ten corporals and fifty en-
organization.
The organization should be headed
by u prominent business man as cap
| tam, who shall act as organizer, with
q lieutenant, who shall be the treas
urer, secretary and chief disbursing
offcer. Neither of these men need be
expert agriculturists, as their services
Will be mostly needed for organization
purposes and in looking after the bust
ness details.
The four sergeants and the ten cor
pofals should have some knowledge
| of agricultural work and the privates
enhsted are to be placed under their
charSe and sent in squads of any re-
! CURED number to help out on the
farms from which calls for help may
come to the ranking officers. The four
sergeants should be selected from dis
tlhct sections OF the township and each
should nave charge of a certain terri
tory and it should further be their
! DUTY TO ascertain the needs of the
farmers of their respective districts
The corporals are the squad leaders
and should be divided in the township
as the needs of any section may re-
qulre. Each corporal should be given
charge of five privates, whom he may
instruct and distribute as needs re-
| quire.
There should be arrangements for
the ettective organization of each COM
panN so that work can be undertaken
! on the farms or garden plots which
might come under their Jurisdiction.
Through the captain and lieutenant
| plans can be made for the taking over
of farms on half-share basis or for
the furnishing of labor at specified
! hour rates.
! The matter of pay is hard to deter
mine, but it is suggested that this can
be arranged according to localities and
| the class of labor furnished. The
FARMER is. willing to pay for this help
and all accounts should be handled by
the sergeants and in turn reports made
to the captain and lieutenant, with
the latter two officers alone authorized
to keep the payroll receive the funds
of the company. keep the record of
production on farms worked on the
share basis and to assist in the sale of
crops raised on farms operated Under
such q plan.
The ruling officers of each townskip
company should take up with imple-
ment firms plans for the loan or hire
and purchase of the latest agricultural
machinery, seeds and fertilizers, so
that work can be speedily done.
The township companies should be
IN s-.A
headed by some prominent citizen, who
shall act and be known as the colonel
| of the agricultural regiment of the
county. 1t should be his duty to ap-
| point as many ranking officers, lieu
tenant-colonels, majors, etc, as will be
required to look after the county work.
All reports of county work should go
to regimental headquarters and in case
the needs of any township are so great
| that call can be made on other town
ship companies it should be the duty
of the headquarters staff to see that
| the proper detail of men is collected
from the various township units and
so distributed as to do the most good
| in the county,.
Within the next few days the ma
| tional Department of Agriculture will
| make recommendation to Congress
for an organization along this line and
Pennsylvania units can be organized
and ready to enroll in the national
| organization. The members of this
organization will receive the same rec
ognition as those persons who enlist
| for service at the front. 1t is just as
| patriotic to enlist in the agricultural
army to help to raise the needed food
for the army and for the people at
home as it is to go to the front.
In the plan for Pennsylvania agri-
cultural army the enlistment can in
clude men over the military enlist
ment age, boys from fourteen to nine
teen years old and men who are un-
able on account of slight physical in
capacity to enter the army or navy
ranks.
Secretary Patton asks that imme-
diate steps be taken in all communities
to form companies and county regi-
ments and that notice be sent to the
Pennsylvania Department of Agricul-
ture of all contemplated organizations
and full details of all organizations
| affapted.