The Washington times., 1918-05-18
FIRST FLOCK OF:
FARMERETTEST TO
START REAL WORK

washinEton's farmsrsttsS have
landed their nrst job.
Twelve Of them will start work to-
day on the farm OF ChaTiG Taylor,
near silesia. Nd and will get from so
cents to S1.5o per day. according to
the work they perform
The employment OF the women
farmers BY the Maryland man will
mark the first time since civil war
days that farmers near Washington
have had to use female help to work
their farms.
FIrat FO Answer Calf
The twelve who are to work on the
Taylor farm have designated them
selves the SiIssia farm team, and are
the frst OF washiRgtoh's willing
Women's farm army who will answer
the call to the land.
They are headed BY Mrs Charles
NJ. Cake. a teacher at stones College,
and include Janet Ransome and Susan
Ransome. sisters. l455 Belmont street;
Mrs. John d. Miley and her daughter
1910 Hopkins place; Miss Amy Brook,
TT3 Massachusetts, avenue: Miss Dor
othy GiIbertson. 511 Thirteenth street:
Miss Edith BuFVell, Friends School;
Miss MAFis AI.toinette BoestlbaeheT,
Friends School: Miss Helen MuttiHg,
i945 BiItmore street: Migs Florence
Lang. 1945 BiltmoFe street: Mrs. DR..
Allie SlanaEAn, 1914 Fourteenth street
They will take up quarters for the
summer on the Taylor farm today.
The faFmerettes will wear overallS
while in the fields and hAyseed hats.
They will sleep in a saw mill.
wooden structure with creeping
vines, on the farm.
little white sIEn. reading a. fol-
lows. was the inspiration which drew
these patriotic women to the farm
Recruits wanted, for the Women's
Land Army Of America Chance TO
do your bit by working on a farm.
Good wages. Eight hour day. Plenty
Of fresh air. StrawbsrTtes and blue
berries on the vine"
Many Signs Out.
Hundreds of these little signs tell
ing Of abandoned farms left by the
men at war. are today hanging in
store windows. theater lobbies, lunch
rooms, office buildings. and every
nook and corner OF Washington.
Women are seen to read them win
the same interest that men crowded
Yes" said Miss Dorothy GheeTt5
son, one Of the frst Of the farmerettes
to volunteer for the Women's Land
Army Of America in Washington II
was the little white face OF that sign
that settled il for me. Everywhere
went I saw it peeping out OF store
windows. behind a vase OF movers IN
a lunch room. and the message sot
from II was, Come and went.
about il. -
Standing face to face with that
| little white faced sign 1t seemed 10
| talk to me, and 1t said:
Seemed to Talk
"Don't you realize that the men
| are at war: How can America have
| farms without farmers? Remember
Americas promise to the alhes OF
/ how she is going to feed the NoI n
| You be a farmerette just IKE Ine
women OF the civil war in the soutn
did when all the men ana even inc
boys were away hghtinE In the army
and the slaves wera atrala On NJ
count Of stray bullets.
~ turned away from the sign then,
because / thought, being q woman, l
was not strong enough to DO heavy
| farm work" said Miss Gtlbertsen.
when all Of a sudden a picture OF
an abandoned farm dashed oeIore
my eyes.
The little sign seemed almost
human, as It seemed TO say, n tne
men can bend over a gun IN the
trenches you can bend over noe
| In the sunshine. See how still the
| farm Is with no one TO work IT, II
! Is 50 quiet you can almost hear the
vegetables grow. Not even the
tnkIing bells on the sheep are heard.
go. Eo, 60 and make the Vese-
tables grow II said finally.
And so I am Eoing-we ars All
going 70 do our bit on the farm
spoke Miss GIIbsrtsoA for the twelve
farmerettes.
Recruits are wanted. Apply to the
registration sfhoe At ltlo PenhsYl'
VaniA avenue