New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-05-06
FIRST TO OFFER
WORKERS ON FARMS
Connecticut Manufacturers Com
ply With Plan to Increase Crops

Washington. May e,-"Connecticut
is the first state to put into operation
the plan of the United States EN-
ployment Service for the use of indus
trial workers as part time war emer-
gency farm workers and Connecticut
manufacturers and merchants are the
first to officially indorse the plan and
release employees" says the official
bulletin Of the federal employment
service in a recent issue. Continu-
ing. it says:
THE Nutmeg state, furthermore,
has perfected a release system which
vs. the first of It's kind and which Is
considered better and more effective
than that employed by Canadian man
ufacturers last year. ..... .--. .s
with the official approval of the
Connecticut Manufacturers Associa-
ton and the Connecticut State Cham
Der Of Commerce, the United States
employment Service, through Leo A.
korper it's director for CONNECTICUT
and federal-state director of the Pub
lie Service Reserve, is obtaining
pledges from employers to release
men during the press Of the harvest
season as they are needed. Individ-
ual manufacturers are being reached
while the merchants are being
brought into the project through the
commercial organizations in the cities
and larger towns and the local agents
of the State Council of Defense in the
smaller communities.
ALREADY 13 of the largest industrial
plants in Hartford have pledged the
release of workers. Among them are
the Colts Patent Firearms Co., Pratt
&. Whitney Co, Underwood Typewrit-
er Co, Taylor & Fem Co., Whitney
: Manufacturing Co., Hartford Electric
Light Co, and Other Most of these
have war contracts.
The Hartford Electric Light Co. al
ready has signed up 100 of it's men,
or 10 per cent. of is entire force, for
farm work. Many of them have had
farm experience. The company has
, arranged to send out it's men in units
OF from to 10 over a period of 25'
weeks. guaranteeing that at least Ave
men will be constantly engaged in
helping farmers during this period.
The company furthermore will take
the men by automobile to the farms
SO that the farms benefited will be put
to no trouble or expense for transport
tation. This unit and transportation
scheme will be generally employed.
The Connecticut plan is novel in
That the manufacturers and other en-
ployers releasing men for farm work
will continue their wages during their
farm engagements, while the farmers
using them will pay the wages due
the men as farm hands to their regu-
lar employers. Manufacturers are
periodically willing to sacrifice the
difference while the employees left in
the plants are in turn offering to do
their bits by carrying along the tasks
OFFS their comrades temporarily en-
gagged In food production.
Farmers, of the state are enthusI-
astic over the project and will make
their calls to the United States EN-
pIoyment Service as the rnen are need
ed. Since many of the Industrial
workers formerly engaged in farming,
Connecticut agriculturists will be CIV
en- not only additional workers, but
skilled workers as well.
THE enrolment Of industrial work.
ers for this war-emergency farm SER
vice Is d one directly by the employers,
acting for the United States Employ
nent Service and Its Public Service
Reserve. This is another di ,tinctive
feature of the Connecticut plan. The
individual manufacturer simply mott
fes the state director of the United
States Employing emit Service that so
MANY men have been enrolled and
that he will send men to the farms
asking for them. This direct method
If handling the situation eliminates
red tape" references, and CORE
,pondence and will save time.
~~rx 49, A~uufarfur
Following is the call which the
United States Employment Service,
through its state director, is sending
% all manufacturers in the state, with
he approval OF the Connecticut Man
1facturers associations:
To Connecticut manufacturers
A great practical difficulty which
.onfronts the ordinary farmer in the
production of food is to provide the
sxtra labor needed to take care or
.ome peak load. as in haying, corn
cutting, potato digging, or some SINH
ar emergency.
If the farmer can be assured that
ne will be able to get the extra men
,or these periods, he will have conf
lence. from a practical standpoint, to
ian for much larger food production
han he otherwise could.
We therefore propose to you the
following scheme: ..
That you shall circulate the in