The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-06-21
NEW ENGLAND SAWMILL
MEN ARE WANTED
Great Britain Desires Their Service and
Organizations of American Units
Will Be Formed Out of Men
Now in Great Britain.

Governor Graham has received from
James j. Phelan of Boston, vice chair
man of the New England sawmill units
COMMITTEE, copy of letter from the
manager in Scotland, as follows;
"Ardgay, Scotland, May %, 1918.
my Dear Mr.. Phelan; In regard TO
the future of our organization, may
say that / have been working for several
months to try and effect an arrange
ment between the British government
and the United States government
whereby our men might have the priv
ilege of enlisting in an American fores-
try company, and this forestry company
used by the British government to con.
tinue the numbering operations here.
This arrangement is now assured and
the recruiting party of American officers
has been at Ardgay for several days en-
listing those of our men who wish to
continue So far over one hundred have
enlisted
"The plan which is now being worked
out between the two governments is to
have these men attached to the 9th bat
talon of the goth engineers. The size of
a company in this battalion is $50 men,
or sufficient TO operate five or six OF our
mills. If enough of them do not enlist
to form full company, the United
States government proposes to fill this
up to strength with forestry troops and
leave it here for continuing the present
work It is possible also that another
company from the 9th battalion may be
detailed here, so that all of our mills
can be operated under military control.
"In regard to the military status OF
the members of the New England saw
mill units who are of draft age, | may
say that some difficulties and annoy
anees have arisen through few of the
men being advertised in their local towns
as delinquents, but in each case | have
taken the matter up with the adjutant
general or the state in which the men
resided, and have received assurance
that the mans record would be cleared.
I'm looking over the correspondence,
I note that the men who return TO the
United States after the completion OF
their civilian contract here. will be Ina
BILE to military service under the selec
tive service, and this is fully understood
bv all the men, Ii has also been their
general understanding that such men as
had not already been called might have
the privilege of enlisting in different
branches of military or naval service
upon their return, provided there were
openings in such branches at the time
However, | felt that / would not have
fully discharged my duty toward the
men until they had been offered the OPP
portunity of continuing here, and of en-
listing in a branch of military service
for which they are best fitted. 1t is also
very important from the standpoint of
saving tonnage, and the manufacture OF
war timber on this side, that our oper-
ations be continued.
"The New England sawmill units have
produced more timber per man, per day,
than any of the military lumber units
on this side, so far as l have been able
to ascertain, at least, this is true as
compared with any of the lumber units
in Great Britain. The British govern
ment is very anxious to retain the serv-
ices of the organization, and under the
conditions necessary here for rationing
and general control of the work, 1t is UNI
questionable that military organization
is the only means by which continued
production can be assured. The British
government, of course, is obliged to send
back to the United States any of our
men who wish to return after June Is,
1918. Those who do not take advantage
of the opportunities offered here for vol
untary enlistments, and return home
this summer, do so with the full under
standing of their status under the selec
tive service law.
II wish to thank you very much for
your continued interest in our work, and
as soon as the military company is or
ganized, l will write you in detail in re-
gard to the plans, etc.
Twill you kindly pass this letter to
any members of the executive committee
who may wish the information
with kind regards, am yours truly,
New England Sawmill Units, Z. c. Hirst,
manager"