The Coolidge examiner., 1945-10-12
|PW's To Make
Real Contribution
In Cotton Harvest
County Farm Bureau Head
Says Nearly 1000 German
War Prisoners Now Pick
ing Cotton And More Com
ing.

w nlie only limited number OF
German prisoners of war have so
far been used in cotton picking in
Pinal County this season. recent
arrivals and others soon to arrive
will build up their number so that
they will make real contribution
to the cotton harvest, ii was an
nounced today by A L. Bartlett,
president of the Pinal Couny Farm
Bureau. which is acting as the con-
tracing agency for all prisoners
of war used in cotton picking in the
county.
On Monday of this week Mr.. Bart
lett stated that for the past two
weeks approximately $50 prisoners
have been picking In the Stanfield
area. west of Casa Grande. and 240
are picking in the vicinities of Coo
lidge and Florence. The latter
prisoners are being housed in the
main camp at Florence. On Sun
day approximately 1000 prisoners
arrived at Camp Eloy No. .. located
nine miles south of Eloy. and these
will begin picking on Tuesday. Oc-
tober 3. in the area south of the
Southern Pacific Railroad. includ-
ing the Friendly Corner. Picacho.
Toltec and Green Reservoir areas.
More To Come
Present plans. according TO Mr.
Bartlett. call for an additional 500
prisoners In Camp Eloy No. l by
around the middle OF October. and
an increase in the number working
in the Coolidge and Florence areas
TO approximately ESQ Later plans
call for mobile camps at the ll-mile
Corner. near Casa Grande. and near
Maricopa. When all camps are man
ned Il is believed that there will be
approximately 1900 prisoners pick
ing cotton In the county.
Farmers Should Order Now
Farmers who feel that IL will be
necessary for them to augment
their civilian picker supply with
prisoners of war are requested to
turn I'm their orders now. This can
be done at the Pinal County Farm
Bureau Labor office in Casa Grande.
which Is in charge OF Mr. Virgil
Katterhenry, or from Mr.. Bartlett
at the Production Credit office in
Coolidge.
Farmers Time Saved
Mr.. Bartlett stated that farmers
generally are enthusiastic over the
program under which the Pinal
County Farm Bureau Is the con-
tracing agency between themselves
and the War Department. Under
the arrangement worked out by the
farm fureau. there is but one con-
tract for prisoners. and that Is be-
tween the Farm Bureau and the
War Department. The individual
farmer does all his business, inso-
far as the contract is concerned.
with the farm bureau office. Indi-
vidually he does not have 10 sign
contract with the War Department.
and he does not have TO put up a
performance bond. The farm bur-
eau acts as his agent in dealing
with the War Department. including
the paying of picking accounts. The
several cotton finance agencies OPP
Grating in the county have joined
together and are handling the mat
ter of the contract performance
bond.
Mr.. Bartlett emphasized that the
Pinal County Farm Bureau is han
ding this matter on a strictly nom
profit basis, for the benefit of
farmers, regardless of whether or
not they are members of the farm
bureau. Five cents hundredweight
on the field weight of cotton is
charged for their services, and after
proper expenses in handling the
labor program are paid, any balance
remaining will be returned to farm
ers on a basis of the hundredweight
of cotton picked. Every farmer par
ticipating in the program will, at
the close of the cotton harvest. re-
ceive a statement from the farm
bureau showing just how his money
was spent.
At the request of the farm bureau
all ALLEGATIONS of prisoners of war
to individual farmers for cotton
picking purposes are handled by
the farm labor office of the agricul-
tural extension service. Famers
should keep in touch with that of
flee where they may be advised
when they may expect turn of the
prisoners.
The agricultural extension serv-
ice is conducting an educational
program designed to instruct pris-
oners in the picking of cotton.
Every prisoner is furnished a cir
cular which illustrates the opera
tion of cotton picking, and movies