Evening star., 1943-08-05
2Agencies Seek
10000 Workers
ForCanneriies
Drought Hits Crops
In Maryland
And Virginia

Anu Virginia
Faced by decreasing crop yields in
Virginia and Maryland as a result of
drought, the War Manpower Com
mission and the United States EN-
ployment Service today began an in
tensive campaign in four States and
the District to recruit 10000 cannery
workers to process what is available.
Leo r. Werts, acting regional di-
rector of the VINO, gave recruit
ment of cannery labor the highest
priority rating-shared only by farm
workers-in an emergency order yes
terday. Until August 20, all United
States Employment Services Offices
In Maryland. North Carolina, Vir-
ginia, West Virginia and the Dis
tr1ct will concentrate on obtaining
cannery workers, the order stated.
Every suitable applicant to the
USES will be offered a cannery lob
before he is considered for any other,
except farm work, which will have
the same priority, Mr. Werts ruled.
USES officials said vacationists,
now being called upon for work on
Virginia and Maryland farms also
may be used in canneries, although
the bulk of the workers will be
drawn from the ranks of those
skilled in cannery operations.
Clearance Is Assured.
K. Vernon Banta, director of the
District USES, said all workers
must clear the USES office, and
referral cards for vacationists will
be considered by Gamers as state
ment of their availability. Pre-
viously it was not certain whether
statements of availability could be
obtained for industrial work by va
cationing Government and other
employees
Although the tomato crop on the
Eastern Shore is drying up and
probably will not be as heavy as
was anticipated, the VINO will
continue its drive to supply all the
cannery workers needed, a WING
spokesman said.
Lawrence B. Fenneman, Mary
land VINO director, pointed out
that the canning industry formerly
was listed as one of many essential
industries and thus competed with
airplane factories and shipyards
for workers.
Need Is Critical.
Mr.. Werts declared that the labor
need in food processing plants now
is so critical as to necessitate adop-
ton of extraordinary measures"
for a time.
Under the new order the USES
Offices in each State will seek to
meet local labor needs, then will
direct workers to cannery jobs in
other States affected by the order.
DR.. T. B. Symons, dean of the
agricultural department of the
University of Maryland, said yester-
day that Maryland's farm crop sit
uation was critical because of the
drought.
The sections of the State hit hard
est by the lack of rain were the
Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland
and parts of Frederick and Mont
gomery Counties, he added.
DR.. Symons said there was likely
TO be 80 per cent cut in the sweet
corn yield and 10 per cent cut in
tomatoes, with an even greater
shortage possible if the drought
continued.
Tobacco Crop Hard Hit.
Southern Maryland's tobacco crop
took double setback, he said Only
two-thirds Of the normal crop was
planted, he explained, because of the
lack of precipitation and the con-
tinued dryness held back develop
ment of some which was planted.
In Virginia the dry condition was
reported as generally intensified in
the region extending through the
middle part of the State from the
northern to the southern border. On
the other hand, southeastern coun-
ties, with the exception of Bruins
wick and Mecklenburg, received ade-
quate moisture, with Norfolk and
Princess Anne getting too much for
best results.
The hot, dry weather in some
counties hastened the ripening OF
fue-cured tobacco and caused a
hurry-up in the pulling and curing
OF the lower leaves in order to pre-
vent loss, IS per cent of the crop
reported harvested by the end Of
the week.
Corn was being adversely affected
due to lack OF moisture, since the
crop was at stage in many coun-
for the formation Of ears.
Tomatoes, snap beans, melons,
cantaloupes and potatoes were being
harvested during the week