The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-14
ROWS FOR THE FARMS.

Uncle Sam is enlisting 100000
BOYS between 16 and 81 for service
on the farms The labor of these boys
vii. be as big a contribution to the
winning of the war as the work of sew
eral divisions of soldiers. Work in
the open will make better men of
them. The knowledge that they are
saving the world from famine will
teach them the Joy of service
The boys working reserve, a war
emergency work of the United States
department OF labor, which was Gre
ated last year with the object of mo-
bil1zing for both agricultural and in
dustrial purposes the available boy
power CT the nation, has appointed
directors in each state this year, and
hopes to make the agricultural camp
plan of considerable assistance in re-
lieving the farm-labor shortage in ev-
cry part of the country. The depart
ment of agriculture, the department OF
labor, the state agricultural colleges,
state councils of defense, and other or
CARNATIONS are expected to cooperate.
first, in trying to find out in advance
Just what the farm-labor needs of a
given section will be, and, second. in
getting~as much experienced farm la
bo, as possible for that section-back-
ing this up with training camp boys
or other volunteers. The plan was
carried out with much success in some
of the New England states last year
and if il can be extended thruout the
.l,4 4 60 a,-I
ing the labor situation in the rural dis
tricts.
The state of Maine developed one of
the most elaborate and effective plans
of boy training camps for farm labor
that was known last year. An appro-
pration of $15O,0o0 was available for
the work, and the state had complete
supervision and control of the service.
A mobilization camp was established
and nearly 1000 boys were recruited
from all parts of Maine, sent to this
training camp, put thru both the
school of the soldier and the school of
the farmer and, as they became quail
fled, were sent out in groups of
twenty-five to fifty, under supervisors,
to work on farms in various parts of
the state.
The Maine farm-help boys were
called Junior volunteers" Boys from
16 to 20 years of age were accepted,
recruiting campaigns were conducted,
as for the army, and often the regular
army recruiting stations were used as
junior volunteer recruiting offices.
All this added to the boys sense of
actual war service-of being in the
game" in reality. Professors from
the Maine college gave agricultural
instruction at the mobilization Camp.
and drill4awere under the direction of
officers Of the national guard. Every
day of their training the youngsters
did practical farm work. The state
furnished uniforms. transportation,
subsistence. medical attention, etc.
and paid the boys a flat salary of 81
per day for the entire period of their
enlistment. The farmer who en-
ployed the, boys paid the supervisor
in charge of that squad or that district.
Supervisors. paid by the state, were
carefully selected. Only young men
of the highest type were employed.
and as Ear as possible they were Y. NJ.
c. A. or boy scout leaders or teachers
WHO had shown especial aptitude in
handling boys. The boys remained
constantly under the care of these su-
pervisors, whether at the mobilization
camp or at district camps over the
state-from whence they would goeout
each morning in groups to work on the
various farms in that community
where they had been assigned.