The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-03-28
Yes, AND MILK MAIDS, TOO
Employers VIII Release Lady Clerks
Who May Volunteer to Help Farm
ers' Wives at Rush Times-Plan to
Fill Ranks Of Rural Labor.

where are you going, my pretty
maid?''
"I'm going a-milking, Sir, she
said
This familiar quotation from an old
English song may become reality ev-
cry morning in Kenosha this summer
or perhaps modern Maude Mullers by
the score may turn out if the plan for
mulated by the merchants of the Ken
osha Retailers Association at the
meeting of the executive committee
Tuesday afternoon works out success
fully. The merchants. are planning to
put their working force at the com
mand of the farmers of Kenosha
County in order to help produce
bumper crop in Kenosha county this year
in spite of the shortage of labor which
exists because hundreds Of Kenoshans
have shouldered the musket to fight for
liberty.
merchants, at the suggestion of the
County Council Of Defense and county
agent Griffith Richards have agreed
to don overalls and straw-hats and
work in the fields of Kenosha county
to help farmers care for the crops.
They are to allow their clerks, both
men and women, if the latter are
needed in harvest time, a day off each
rural labor under the direction of the
County Council of Defense These
workers are to be paid according to
we'll regulated scale which will meet
the agreements both Of the farmers
and of the merchants.
The merchants are to become farm
ers for the day and agree to go to
whatever farm in the county they are
assigned by the general committee
The plan, which was unanimously en-
dorsed by the committee, will go be-
fore the County Council of Defense for
its endorsement this evening and al
ready calls for volunteers - men who
are experienced in farm work have
been issued so as to help with the
spring blowing and planting. The
plan has been worked very successfully
in other cities in such a way as to in
terfere neither with the farmers re-
gular schedule by providings him Ia
borers, Hworthy of their hire and
without interfering with the business
life of the city.
To take a concrete example of the
plan as adopted by the committee, |
each day certain number of mer-
chants or their clerks are to enlist for
service on that day. For example, we
will say that Fred Ramon, president
of the association who has already |
placed his name on the list of volun- |
teer farmers, has been assigned as
leader of a squad of farmers. He will |
transport the farmers to the farms
where they are to report for duty and |
agrees to get them to the scene of /
action on schedule working time for
the farmers. Then after the dav is |
over the workers will be gathered up
and brought back to their homes in
Kenosha. On each day some member I
of the association will provide trans
portation for the workmen and will |
provide to bring them back when they I
are through work.
FThere is not to be any monkey I
business at all about it, said enc
member of the committee this morn /
ing. eve want the farmers Of Ken
osha County to know that we ~ealize /
the seriousness of the labor situation /
and that we are willing to put our
shoulders to the wheel to help out.
are able of giving a full days work
and while they may not be Sup to the
minute on all late farming me
they will be willing to learn. They
expect no favors: we mean to work
in the fields like farmers and we ex
pect to be hardened up enough FOR the
days work. IF the farmer S wives are
unable to get help for threshing din
ners or for similar work we are vii
ing to let ony one of our clerks off
for a day in the country where these
clerks enlist -
The farmers who were asked about
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