New Ulm review., 1921-11-09

during that fall he talked with many
farmers at county fairs and found that
they were suffering the same or similar
losses. During the spring Of 1919
Mr.. Woolery interested F. p. Krause,
county agent of Faribault county, in
his idea of forming protective as
sociation. At first it was planned to
have it entirely separate from the farm
bureau, but finally it was decided to
make it an auxiliary organization OF the
bureau.
On October 8, 1919, a big farm
bureau meeting was held at Blue
Earth, The county-seat of Faribault
county. j. Oswald Jones had been
invited by Mr.. Krause and MI.
Woolery to address the meeting. He
explained how protective association
could be formed, and pointed out the
benefits that would result from an
organization of this nature. At this
meeting committee was appointed to
work out the details of an organization
and to draw up a constitution.
At later meeting the constitution
was adopted and Mr.. Woolery's or
ganization came into actual being.
Every mem ber of the Faribault Coun-
ty Farm Bureau is automatically a
member Of its protective branch. This
protective branch has been a big draw
ing card in the recent drive for in
creased farm bureau mem mbership in
this county.
Scope is Large.
Its constitution provides that the
general business of the Protective
Branch of the Faribault County Farm
Bureau is to discover and recover
stolen property, to detect and appre-
hend thieves, and in general to afford
protection to the property Of the Fari-
bault County Farm Bureau members.
The same protection and assistance is
extended to the property of widows
of deceased farm bureau members,
and to any other unprotected women,
who have neither fathel, brother, nor
son residing with them of suitable age
Ito become farm bureau members or
perform the duties required by the as
ISOLATION.
When any property has been stolen
from farm bureau member the matter
is at once reported by him to the execu-
tive committee Of three members. This
committee is empowered by the con-
stitution to employ such paid de-
tectives as may be deemed necessary
to help in the capturing of the thief or
thieves, and to recover and restore
stolen pr 1operty.
Committee in Action.
The executive committee is the alarm
of the organization. By telephone, or
telegraph, they may notify adjacent
communities of depredations. They
may print posters containing the de-
scription Of stolen property or the de-
scription of the lawbreaker. Areward,
the amount of which is determined by
the executive committee may also be
offered. Compensation is given for
time spent in pursuit of thief or
property, by any member, detective or
agency, when regularly employed by
the executive committee. Employees
can not lay claim tc reward. The
reward is intended to widen the group
Of scar chers for the thief. Any person
or persons not employed by the asso-
citation who uncover clues which bring
about the arrest and conviction, shall
be entitled to share the reward that
has been offered.
The farm bureau in its budget pro-
vides ample funds for the efficient
operation of the Protective Branch.
The constitution provides that in an
emergency additional funds may be
secured through loan, provided that
the loan does not exceed SIS for each
member of the farm bureau. Under
ordinary conditions loan would never
be necessary, except in rare cases of
crime epidemic. . ..
Thief Depletes Auto.
The Protective Branch, as organized,
is operating to the satisfaction of its
originators and is meeting with the
thorough approval Of county law-en-
forcing officials. Soon after the for,
nation Of this protective association
case was brought to the attention of
the executive committee. A farm
bureau member, Tobias Peterson, re-
ported the stealing of accessories to his
automobile. The theft occurred at
night, right in his own yard, almost at
his very door. Mr.. Peterson reported
that this was not the first time access
sories had been stolen. This was the
third time and he wanted it to be the
last. First the thief had taken electric
light bulbs, an inner tube, a tractor
wrench, and a crescent wrench. The
second time the thief took a fve-gallon
can of gasoline, two spark plugs and
the light bulbs from the headlights Of
his car. The third time the thief