The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1943-07-15
Seek City Help
On Farm Labor
Expect Volunteer Aids to
Work in 1943 as They
Did Last Year.

WASHINGTON.- par
ticipation in the United States crop
corps program to recruit volunteer
farm labor this year is expected to
follow to a considerable extent the
pattern that proved most successful
in 1912, a government release point
ed out, but the communities which
threw all their manpower resources
into the battle to save crops last
year will have the great advantage
of a seasons experience, and will be
able to eliminate the less practical
suggestions in favor of plans which
proved their worth.
The problem of the current farm
labor shortage, it is set forth. is not
one problem but many problems
almost as many as there are KINDS
of crops, types of farm operations,
seasonal fluctuations and even vari.
cites of local communities.
Typical examples Of community
participation in food harvesting. &C.
cording to the extension service OF
the department Of agriculture,
showed that in every region in the
country townspeople were eager to
do their part in crop emergencies,
as they arose. There is every IN
dication that this year. paced by the
program for the crop corps, tae
movement will be even better Or
ganized, more efficient and more
widespread, it was said.
i Pick Cotton Crop.
- In Vermont, several hundred gran
tie workers in Washington county
signed up to work during their of
hours to help farmers save their
crops ...-.
The Middle West, hit by spot labor
scarcities, turned to schools and
townfolk for help. A corps Of SOB
locally recruited workers helped get
in a wartime crop Of 1884, cases
Of tomatoes In Mclean county. I'LL.
nois, which would have been lostwith-
out the extra help. The CONNER
cial club of Fowlerville. Mich. reg.
istered 400 volunteers from among
clerks, statesmen, bankers, drug
eists and the like, who worked hoH'
days, evenings, or whenever; they
could put In two hours or more II
planting and cultivating crops. op
Grating machines and harvesting
grain, hay and sugar beets.
| The South, too. experienced farm
labor difficulties. Ten to IS per cent
Of Georgia's cotton crop was picked
| by city folk. es-tc..
Night grain-shocking parties OF 10
cal business men went after the grain
crop in Walworth county. Wiscon
sin, and volunteers from Elkhorr
alone shocked $500 acres Of grain
In Rich county. Utah, storekeeper'
in i've towns used their stores q,
registration places for men whit
could help harvest grain and womeI
who could help feed the crews.
Service Groups Help. ~.
Various crops were salvaget
throughout Idaho by volunteer help
Local service groups. business EN-
ployees and other volunteers pickles
$50, 900 pounds Of cotton In Tular'
county, California. Stores and OF
fees closed down in the Wanatchee
Okanogan district of Washington, 8
that the districts $40. 600. 900 appl
crop would reach the packing house
without damage. In Oregon. the vol
unteer farm labor program was s.
well organized that no crop losse
were reported throughout the state
There. too. stores and bushes
houses in. many communities wer
closed during part Of the day so tina
volunteers could concentrate on cror
gathering. The Marion county pla
Of advanced training for school chi
dren, which was taken by 10000 vol
unteer children. was so successfr
that the program Is being extende
ii i IL