The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-16

tle F1Iltd8SS pIUuuCeu III UIllS VlLdlly important tobacco valley since the first teaspoonful of seed took root
 Harvesting is at its height now, dnder conditions which only global var could create. The Japs' con- iuest of the Dutch East Indies and the consequent loss of Sumatra as source of cigar wrapper has in- tensified the importance of Con- necticut's leaf, not only in world markets, but on every fighting front where American cigars are smoked.
 Tobacco, the Army says, is almost As important to men in service as bullets. Tobacco the government says, is an essential crop.
 5000 Negroes Aid
 Months ago, Connecticut growers appealed for aid in solving the problems of farm and warehouse labor shortage. Washington's an- swer was to permit entrance of some 5000 Negroes from Jamaica and other Caribbean islands for the sole purpose of performing the agri- cultural tasks once done by men and women who have gone to war or into vital war industries.
 Thus, it is strange but not sur- prising, to find natives of the Brit ish West Indies, who have been brought in under federal supervi- sion, stripping tobacco stalks in New England to guarantee Yankee smokes to men at home and abroad.
 The visitors from the Caribbean are industrious and conscientious, with their accustomed siestas relin- quished, evidently, for the duration. Important to the success of harvest ing Is that beaming sun which en- abled the new crew of harvesters to attend to their tasks under nome conditions"
 Even more significant, however, was the Connecticut Valleys own answer to the growers plea for help.
 Before school was dismissed for the summer, well organized and widely popularized campaign was built around the slogan Keep the Boys in Smokes" The tobacco val ley's youth responded readily to appeals made at public meetings, on the radio and through hundreds of recruiting posters. A thousand fences and walls, over a 100-mile area which crossed the Massachu- setts line, were decked out in col ored posters attuned to the war.
 Now, more than 1000 boys and girls are CD Performing the delicate task of threading leaves on laths in the drying sheds; CD Earning substantial wages, much of which are going into war bonds; (3) Con- tributing to the war effort by saving one of the nations most important agricultural crops from damage and waste.
 Albert H. Newfeld of Hartford, veteran tobacco leaf expert, and secretary treasurer of the Shade Growers Agricultural association. explains that the vintage distinc- ton of the 1943 crop is due to nea-- perfect weather conditions - hot days, frequent rains, no severe storms, 8 minimum of insect inter- ference, and mild winds. Storms in other seasons have caused heavy damage.
 In the Connecticut Valley more than 1000 of the 5000 visiting Jamaicans are employed. This army of imported farm labor is housed in former CCC camp. They consti- ute the field staff, removing the green leaves from seemingly end- placed in baskets which are trucked less rows of plants. The leaves are to the sheds by regular employees of the companies. There the drying leaves attain their characteristic brown hue.
 This year colored lads from the south are attending to the hanging of the tobacco. Juniors and seniors from Negro colleges are making more money than they could in otfehr farm service, they admit.
 But the most striking alteration in the familiar old-time scenes in this New England tobacco-land is due to Connecticut's own boys and girls.
 Glamor has taken it's place in the alreday romantic tobacco trade Hundreds of school girls are string near Windsor, heart of the shade ing the leaves in the sheds located grown region. When they responded to the plea for a victory crop brigade they were ready to put in full time during six or seven inten- sivc weeks when the tobacco goes through it's first processing. Theirs is a delicate task-sewing the leaves to strips of wood. Broken leaves are taboo and as result of careful handling few have been found among the millions that have passed through the hands of these youthful needleworkers.
 The pretty misses from Hartford and elsewhere are doing quite nicely for themselves economically They are earning. in frequent cases, from G3 to $i0 day under a piece-work scale. Some l5-year-olds are bring ing home $50 each week. and are proud of their place in the cam paign to Keep the Boys in Smokes.
 Extra Work
 Some girls employed in East Hart ford aircraft plants at night are getting extra pay and doing ap- other good deed for Uncle Sam by deyoting afternoon hours to the handling of tobacco leaves. Special arrangements are made for trans porting feminine workers from and to their homes. located within easy range.
 William s, Fuller. president Of the Shade Growers, pays tribute to other emergency helpers. As mem- bers Of the Victory Farm Volun- teerg Of Connecticut. more than . hundred high school and prepara- tory school boys also are participat- iaU ia tba taha aaa haRuaat Hlftu