The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-17

offered an avenue for useful endeavor
not only for a great amount of the
woman labor that would necessarily
be thrown out OF employment from
time to time by the curtailment of
non essential industries, and the elimi-
nation Of iuxuries. Women engaged
IN seasonal occupations, according to
Miss wileman. should also be turned
to the farms when their own Indus
tries have no need of their services.
The transition, Miss wileman said,
would not only add stimulus to pro-
duction. but would result In great
benefit to the health OF the woman
laborer.
Miss wlleman intends TO present 70
Warrington in the near future q plan
of organization which would mobilize
the women OF the country for farm
work The title of her proposed WON
ans Organization would be the u. s..
A women'a Land Corps Administra $
ton The members of the corps would
include women from the leisured
classes. college students, professional
workers, trades unions and seasonal
working women and girl They would
organizations all over the country.
Before being admitted to the corps
every woman, according TO this plan.
would be examined as to her physical
ntness for farm work. Then would
follow n period OF preliminary train
ing. the instruction in agricultural
science being given through the uni
versities, agricultural colleges and
women's collegea with the Corpora
ton Of federal and state agricultural
departments. Following the praetioe
OF the British authorities, this instruo-
ton would be given free OF charge.
TN distributing and moving the
woman labor" said Miss Wiieman,
THE most practical methods should
prevail. II would not do TO uproot
women unnecessarily and drag then,
about IN every direction. The ma
chinery OF operation should be under
the control OF the women's Division
OF the Z. 8, A. Employment service,
aided by divisional commandments for
subdivlded zones. Facilities should
be developed for the collection OF
all possible information with refer
ence 20 the availability and need OF
labor in all parts OF the country. For
the protection of this labor the de-
partrnert OF labor should fix mini
mum wage and take all the ueces-
sary steps to guarantee the women
against illness and disease Where
labor conditions demand the maHsins
OF large groups of workers in par.
tlCUi5F iOCAutles curing the sum meY
and fall months, camps may be form
ed with qualified captains In charge
OF the different units
According to Miss wfieman, the
Woman's Land corps could furnish
labor for the following branches oil
agricultural work: Dairyins, care oil
live stock, poultry farming. pig rear.
ing, fruit growing. market gardening
fruit and vegetable canning, nsh
game and poultry canning, and
lighter forms of farm work such nj
planting. transpianting. cuitivating
thinning, wedding. hoeing, moving
hay reking. pitching. shocking grair
and fencemakfng.
Last year" said Miss wfteman
an experiment in dealing with woman
land labor was tried, under the aus
pices of the woman's Land council
| and vasT1r college. and resulted ir
the formation of agricultural camp,
at Bedford college, Mount Kisco
| Various herry-picking units were alas
| organised. These demonstrate as e
the American woman's adapta biiity t.
farm work we're satisfactory In svarJ
way"