The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1918-07-29
WHO'LL HARVEST GEORG1A's COTTON?

WIN LII f1AKVE Sl GEORClAS COTTON?
The suggestion of the Leader Enterprise that
che school children be allowed to help harvest the
cotton crops has been very favorably received by
many OF the state newspapers. M. L. Britain
state school commissioner, has also unocially en-
dorscd the plan. 1t is necessary war measure
and the help that it would give to the Georgia far
mer and to the nation would far over-balancc any
temporary set back to school work
America is at war. There is no time for petty
sentimentality over school children or over any
thing else War is practical matter and stands
Tor very little theorizng. The cotton crop will be
the Souths greatest contribution to the success of
the war, of more value even than her men or mo-
ney. Cotton is military necessity to warning
nations
The dangerous labor shortage. if not alcviated,
will do more to curtail this years crop than even
the boil weevil has done The cotton must be
harvested on time. Cotton pickers arc too scarce
to do this without help from some place Canvas
all the different occupations in which human be-
mss engage in Georgia and you will find that the
school children the only ones who can be spar
cd even temporarily as this service would be- 1t
IS therefore, the patriotic duty of the school chill
dren OF Georgia to that the cotton crop is pick
ed
One month less of school can work little or no
injury to the children With efficient teachers this
months work be covered before the end of
school in the spring, or if it can not the nation can
spare the children for the schools better in Nav
and June than it can in the fall of the year
when the cotton must be harvested. Local schools
all close their years work nearly month ahead
OF any Others Very few city schools turn out un-
Ill late IN June. An extra month tackled on the
year after month periodically given to the coun-
try tins tall would not rob the school children of
an iota of their schooling
That the farmers need the school children's helD
IN the helds there can be no doubt That the chill
dren can spare the time from shools for such pa
trlotlc cause, there can be less doubt The work
CT picking cotton is neither strenuous nor dirty and
II all the school children did it, it would bring
about fine spirit of good fellowship between the
city and the country and put that satisfied feeling
into the boy or girl that comes from doing ones
duty when it calls. The pay is good. boy or girl
tan earn spending money for the whole wear bv
months industry in the cotton field OF course the
primary departments would have to be exempted
from TINS war work because their services would be
OF little value TO the country but every boy or Girl
large enough to reach the top of stock of cotton
should work for America this fall in the cotton
held.
II anyone has any very decided views on this
matter that he would like to express he is welcome
TO send us a letter for publication We would all
like to know what the general public thinks. If
there are any good reasons why this plan should
not be used we would like to know them but if
there are no satisfactory reasons it should certain
ly be put into Effects. F. c.