Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-02
The Junior Volunteers.

In Tuesdays editions of the Journal
appeared criticism Of the Junior
Volunteer Movement Of Maine, written
by a farmer whose common sense
commands respect. We would not at
tempt TO knock down" his arguments
because we are well aware that much
OF his logic is well grounded. But to
him and to others we would offer
few suggestions concerning the pur-
pose and the promise of the move
men.. Like most things worth while
this movement was expected to. and
10 bound TO. have a rocky road to travel
In justifying its existence and in DEM
onstrating it's worth.
Other criticisms. that were not pre-
pared from an understanding of the
movement or the requirements of the
farmer. have appeared and these have
stopped 20 Misrepresentation for lack
Of argument.
Therefore. in order to start square,
let US observe as a first conclusion
that no farmer il obliged to ask or
accept the services of these youths
who are enlisting for farm service.
Then Get us grant the movement the
credit that SOME of these boys are
husky. athletic, square jawed chaps
who have had a little experience in
vacation days, on farms, in gardens,
ON grocery teams and the like. SOME
OF them are accustomed to work, and,
what is better still, SOME Of them
are looking toward an agricultural
course and farming dairying or stock
raising as "A business when school days
are over
Let US grant that SOME of these
boys will be earnest. industrious. good
soldiers. determined to make good"
and will actually earn for the lucky
farmers who secure their services,
more than the dollar a day paid by the
state
OF course we know that SOME of
these boys will not earn their salt"
for that is true of men-but it is
not true ~ ALL men, or Of ALL boys.
We find on inquiry that some Of the
boys who are making applications for
enrolment arc familiar with the care
of horses and could undertake at once,
such jobs as narrowing. and intelligent
assistance in planting. wedding. hoe
ing andS'doing the chores"
We recognize that many of these
boys will he the right boys in wrong
places. or the wrong boys in right
places. hut we feel that many (per-
haps more than we practical minded
Old chaps now expect) of these boys
viii fall into the right places and be
the right boys. appreciated. favored by
friendships that will be lasting at the
anne time they are acquiring valuable
experience as a beginning in the bat
tie of life.
The writer as a boy has worked for
farmers. has fought mosquitoes and
black flies and back ached through
days that were a month long. for far
Ters who knew no let-up in the grill
ling toll, unreasonable. unseeing as the
oxen they drove, hard listed and poor
~ fed But beside these | would place
such an experience as that with
Grandpa and Grandma Strout in the
town OF Monson-peace to their Cod
fearing souls, There, the old lady of
tho shining black eyes and wrink-
led face that reminded one of a baked
sweet apple. used to pop corn in the
autumn evenings, after the chores were
done. and bring out the apples from
her favorite trees. Often she would
bake potatoes and onions in the ashes
Of the brick fireplace and we three
had a little banquet before grandpa
fercd ttonks for our guidance through
the DAY and asked protection in the
night 70 come.
SOME of these boys Of the Junior
Volunteers are sure to find people like
that. lonely fathers and mothers, whose
boys have enlisted, perhaps, or decrep-
IL grandfathers and grandmothers. who
will gladly take clean and wholesome
lads into their homes and hearts.
Indeed there ARE two sides to this
question " the value of the Junior VOL