Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-10-16


ergetic in the campaign for the con-
servation of the coal supply and in the
equipment of the saw-mill units for
Great Britain.
Massachusetts, by legislative enact
ment has permitted municipalities to
continue the pay of employees while in
the Federal service and has provided
for similar action on the part Of the
State.
Rhode Island has organized volun-
tary constabulary made up of several
thousand men and has appropriated
$4,000 for loans to farmers. A special
feature in this state was a census of
the states resources in men. women
and manufacturing plants taken by
5000 women in one day.
In Connecticut the Fourth Of July
was known as recruiting day. Six
thousand enlistments were secured in
the National Guard and 1000 in the
regular army. This state has also
developed home guard beyond any
other New England State although
Massachusetts has organized several
home guard regiments.
The war activities of the State of
Maine have been especially notable
in several respects
Recognizing the great importance Of
vocational training. especially in ag-
ricultUre. both during and after the
war, Maine has pressed it's occupa ton
al program vigorously and has been
the first state in the Union to present
complete program for co-operation
with the Federal government in vo-
recent act of Congress. This program
provides for special instruction in ag-
riculture and shipbuiidine as we'll as
ir other industrial arts. to be carried
out through the public schools. 1t
is gratifying to note that the Maine
plans were not only the first accepted
but were so we'll wrought out thai
they are now in use in Washington
as models for the guidance Of other
states.
The urgent need of increa sing the
food supply was recognized in Maine
as in ether states by statewide cam
paign which resulted in the planting
of a largely increased acreage. and by
special arrangements through the Pub
lie Safety Committee and the State
to secure seed and fertilizer The
greatest problem was found to be the
scarcity Of labor and to meet this
need. Maine not only esta blished a
labor agency in cooperation with the
federal government but set up and
carried through successfully the most
complete program so far reported in
this country for placing town and city
hovs of High school age actually AZ
crk on farms through the summer
and harvest seasons
This orea nization. under the name
OF Junior Volunteers has already been
set on foot in Maine when the cal
came from the Department of Labor
in Washington for something OF the
sort TO be undertaken.
Boys from Is years. months to 20
years rnonths in age were asked to
volunteer for service at farm labor
from June to October 81. The con-
sent OF the parents was required and
the attempt was made to receive only
boys not otherwise sure of useful en-
ployment and particularly to take none
already fitted by previous training or
likely because Of location. to secure
work on farms. 1t was sought to re-
late boys Of the latter class directly
to farm jobs as individuals through
the committee on Public Safety or
some le hor agency but not to include
them in the enlistments for the Junior
Volunteers. The boys enlisted were
modified at central camp, care
fully examined as to physical fitness,
character and adaptability for in
struction. given course of intensive
training for about eight days includ-
ing physical exercises, military drill.
ard instruction in the ordinary farm
tasks. provided with uniforms. cots.
tlankets. tentage and all necessary
equipment and sent out into the farm
ing ccmn unities in squadof from 10
to 20. each squad under a. adult lea der
The hoys were paid 81 per day besides
board and the farmers paid the same
price. the overhead charges includ-
ing equipment, supervision and trans
portation being paid by the state
About 700 boys actually went upon
Maine farms through this plan. In
some communities the boys returned
each night to their tents to sleep:
sometimes boys slept on the farms
where they worked. Nearly always
the farmer for whom they worked
furnished their meals. But under eth
er arrangement the boys were always
In immediate charge OF the adult
leader. To this system Of adult leaders
together with the mobiliza ton in a
central camp for intensive training.
the success Of the undertaking was
doubtless due. Great care was used
in the selection Of the leaders. It was
felt that the state was responsible
to the parents OF each boy not only
for taking the best possible care of
his physical welfare but also for pro
tecting him from moral hazard
Practical farmers at first with nat
ural conservatism doubted the pos
sibility Of making anything useful out
OF an inexperienced city boy In one
season. Only the very urgent need OF
labor made them willing to try the
experiment at the outset, but In nc
single instance. so far as re2orted
old squad Of boys fail to make good
with their employers before the sea
son was over.
1t should be carefully noted that
this was no casual employment count
Ing up merely the boys related tu
farm Jobs. The boys were enlisted
for the full period Of Ave months.
and not allowed to be absent from
their work without leave or 10 leave