Evening star., 1943-06-25

Enter Fields 10
Save Bean Crop
FDA Puts Floor
Under Market
As Prices Drop
By the Associa ted Press.

BY the Associated Press
SALISBURY, Md, June 25.-Ad-
ditional part-time and volunteer
workers went into the commercial
bean fields near Salisbury today to
attempt to solve a harvest labor
shortage, while an official of the
State Extension Service declared the
food production outlook for the
Eastern Shore was ''in the lap Of the
gods"
Paul Nystrom, farm labor recruit
ment and replacement officer of the
extension service, declared, however,
that although some shore farmers
are hySterical, the greater portion
of crops would be harvested.
FDA Starts Buying.
The Food Distribution Admins
tration, meanwhile, stepped into the
commercial bean situation ON the
Lower Shore by purchasing at
Princess Anne more. than 10000
pounds of snap beans for which
there were no buyers.
The FDA paid s135 a bushel for
top grade beans, thus apparently
preventing the floor from dropping
out of the market
Money for the purchase was pro-
vided by surplus removal funds pro-
vided through a percentage of i'm
port taxes marked for Agriculture
Department use.
Assistant FDA Supervisor Orville
Beetle said the agency spent about
$4,000 for the first three carloads
of beans shipped out of Wicomico
County.
In Baltimore. meanwhile, State
War Manpower Commissioner Law
renee B. Fenneman declared that
Salisbury canneries needed 100 more
workers this week than last week,
but added that the demand could
be met from 220 clearances on hand
for requirements.
6,149 Cannery Workers.
Mr.. Fenneman said the States
canneries employed 6,149 workers
last week-including 100 volunteers
registered through an emergency
call in Baltimore last week end-and
said about 5000 workers were need
ed this week to process foods now
being harvested
Mr.. Fenneman said the situation
in Baltimore was under control,
despite a small shortage, and added
that Easton canneries reported a
need for Is additional workers this
week.
THE Is workers reported as short
at Thurmont in Frederick County
can be supplied through the United
States Employment Service pool
=" Mr.. Fenneman said in a
statement.
Mr.. Nystrom also based his pre-
diction that crops would be har-
vested somehow on a belief that VOL
unteer crop-saving corps can be
recruited in agricultural communt-
ties to replace skilled farm workers
who have gone TO war.
Nonsense" Says Farmer.
A prominent Eastern Shore farm
er. however, disputed the conten-
tion that volunteer workers could
save the crops.
George M Noffett, operator of a
2,500-acre farm in Queen Annes
County. over half of which is in
cultivation, said:
tits just a lot of nonsense and
talk to think that these people can
answer the problem"
Mr.. Beetle said the beans pur-
chased at Princess Anne were
shipped out of the State for use by
public institutions. The first car
load was sent to New York and the
second to the District, he said
The FDA official said it became
necessary for the agency to take
action after prices for beans dropped
from $210 to 81 a bushel at Wicom-
leo County auctions.
Mr.. Beetle said Wicomico farmers
had taken an appeal directly to
Washington, where officials author
lied payment of s1.35 for top grade
beans and SIPS per bushel for Sec
ond grade.
He added that the bottom dropped
out of the market when local can
neries were prevented by the labor
shortage from buying any more of
the crop.
Mr.. Beetle said no Maryland in
stitutions had applied for the food.