The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1919-10-16
A FAVORABLE DECISION
IN CASTOR BEAN GROWERS CASE
Government viii Now Pay Claims
Senator Fletcher Gets Results
i'm Handling the Matter

Washington, D. c., October 18th
1919.-In a decision just rendered,
the Board of Contract Adjustment OF
the War Department has taken juris-
diction over the claims of growers in
Florida, who, in good faith, attemp-
ted to raise castor beans for the man.
ufacture of castor oil to lubricate air.
plane engines during the war.
The decision was made in the test
case of Helm & Walker, of Miami,
but the same principle applies to all
castor bean contractors, and 1t is un-
derstood that similar opinions will be
handed down in all other cases with
in the next few days. E
This information will be part1cu-
larly gratifying to about six thous-
and Floridians who planted large
acreage, and who, in consequence,
suffered losses almost equal to those
of the growers of all other States
combined.
The principal cause of the failure,
as determined by investigation, was
the unaclimated, inferior seed I'M
ported by the Government and fur
nished for planting purposes. Cas-
tor beans had not been grown for
commercial purposes in the United
States for about a generation, and no
domestic seed was available for plant
ing the large acreage desired by the
War Department. 1t became neces-
sary, therefore, to import cargo of
the seed from India to meet the en-
ergency, but the latest defects of this
seed were not discovered until too
late to avoid the serious loss to the
contractors and growers.
AS soon as the disaster was appar-
ent, Senator Duncan U. Fletcher, as
member of the Military Affairs
Committee, interested himself in the
matter, and finally succeeded in hav-
ing certain amendments incorporated
in the bill to provide relief in cases
of contracts connected with the pros
ecution of the war, which made it
possible for the Secretary of War to
take jurisdiction over castor bean
claims, since which time the Senator
has kept actively behind the matter
to its conclusion.
1t has been stated authoritatively
that these claims involved more legal
points than any other claims presen-
ted to the Department, but, after
many conferences with numerous Of
ficials, Senator Fletcher was able to
satisfy them that the growers were
entitled to reimbursement the same
as the manufacturers of any war
munition.
Approximately fifty thousand acres |
were planted to castor beans in Flor
ida, and it is estimated that over one
million dollars will be returned to !
the contractors and sub-contractors,
as the result of the decision of the
Board just rendered.
But for Senator Fletcher's fore
sight and persistence in seeing that
Florida growers were not discrimin
ated against it would probably have
been necessary to present these
claims at great cost to the Court of
Claims of the United States, where
they might have fingered and langu-
ished for many years before final set
tlement.
Now that the Secretary of War has
taken jurisdiction under the Act to
provide relief, all formal. legitimate
claims will be presented through reg
Ilar channels, and actual settlement
Of all such claims should follow WIN
n the next thirty days.
Citizens of Florida who had direct
contracts with the Government for
he growing of castor beans were
Helm G Walker of Miami, D. G. Gill
EFT of Tampa, B. L. Hammer of Jack /,
T. S. Evans of Jacksonville, ,
md G.. G. Ware of Leesburg.
All sub-contractors who have not
Ilready done so should file claims
on form prescribed by
he Department with the firm or per-
on with whom they contracted, to
'e filed by them, or him, with the
Var Department for final adjust
lent and payment