| Show 1 The Land Army of America I B By Y Jesse Jesse L Lynch Y nth Willia Williams of Th The e Vigilantes es I I I had to hire them for my farm because because because be be- cause cause cause- I couldn't get get men Neighboring farmers who borrowed some of them l liter latter ter hated to admit that they were more efficient than men workers but had to tO s The farm farmer r who wrote those words employed twenty five girls last summer summer summer sum sum- mer to get in his crops some of them girls from the seasonal trades trades' out of ofa ofa ofa a Job others students or OJ college graduates graduates graduates ates out for a vacation but few if any ny of them experienced farm hands He i made two important discoveries First that they were good workers Second that this kind of work worl was good for women and as this fanner farmer is none other than Dr Sargent the director of Ph physical c training al he h to know He adds adds J that f he did not have hake a chance to try hem at plowing or pr heavy work though they can do that too but at other kinds of farm work he found them in all ways the equal and in some somo ways the superior of ot men They do not avers average g a as s strop strong g as men thou though g gand h In proportion to their weight they are put they made up in care and hefte thoroughness thoroughness thor thor- ley lacked what they lacked in heft and they did not loaf on the Job when the boss was not looking Women Nomen are are nearly always more more conscientious than the superior sex sex The Womans Woman's Land Army oi of America America Amer Amer- ica lea Is still a new thing i in most parts Aarts of the country but it has come to stay and the sooner the farmers of America I g get g-et et that Idea through g h their h heads e ad s and live down their old fashioned ned prejudice against this new new potion notion the better for tor them and for the country Every man released from the farm means one more man for tor the army or for other war work not done by women women A y year ear a ago g gO o almost e every v e ry ia In Inthe Inthe the country shared shan d this impractical and unpatriotic prejudice SUCh prejudices prejudices pre pre- die hard All our prejudices about women die hard I give an amusIng amusing amusing amus amus- ing illustration Last summer a number number number num num- ber of units were employed in various vari vari- various ou ous ous parts of Westchester county New NewYork York A unit means a squad of women women women wom wom- I en workers a gang we might call it If It they were men who live and Work together under the charge of ot a competent competent competent com com- older woman experienced in agriculture a sort of forewoman who manages the whole outfit which in includes includes includes in- in their own cook and food and b bedding The farmer does not supply anything except the wages and possibly possibly bly a place opiate to put up a few tents The farmers farmer's wife has no bother or extra work oik in the matter atalL at all Well Veil every everyone everyone one of these units jn Westchester county made good and there were ex exactly ex- ex acHy yes yes' as as' as mat many y surprised farmers In to Westchester county as there were units At At Atthe the e end nd of ot the season season each was asked Will Vill you employ employ employ em em- ploy women farm hands again next year ear jear Each farmer made exactly the same Mme reply Yes jf I I can can get the same women Each self thought th that t he had happened to have havethe ave the luck luck to get the only good I bunch of girls girls' Sly shrewd fellows those thoe farmers farmers' For It seemed to them quite obvious that women as a class could uld n not t be good farm laborers A perfectly natural prejudice Men Bien a aa ae a class have always had the same certainty that women could never be at anything outside of the home until they went went out and made good goodat at from voting and doctorIng doctoring doctor doctor- Ing to driving ambulances and even even at fighting h in the trenches when the necessity y arose over In poor betrayed Russia American farmers however are the most enlightened In the world Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps It Il will not take them so long iong to get the idea into th their lr heads as it re requIred required re- re lEn to beat it into the tl British brainIn brain lof In In England even after atter the scarcity of farm labor soot had become more acute th than an i it t is he here r a now t the he Women's No men s 1 land and army movement ment was almost blighted by masculine prejudice until the government government gov gov- govI I became alarmed and turned a clever trick Prizes were ere offered at the county fairs for public competitions for women work workers rs in various departments departments depart depart- ments manta of farm work This aroused considerable curiosity and created a great deal of 01 discussion The question however was was not whether girls could do farm work but which girl girl could dot it best besH Big crowds gathered Bets were made Rivalry ran tan high And when it was demonstrated before the astonished eyes of the British ls farmers farmer that these farm lasses as as they now affectionately term their over there not only knew their Job but put were experts at it the prejudice dlce broke I down and the country was saved The Land Army of England new now strong has kept the island from starving This fact has been publicly acknowledged edged In parliament parlia parlia- ment There are already sev seventeen states state'S of the Union organized under the rho Women's Land Army of America and andIn andin andin in New York alone aro arc registered for this this' season It is a afine afine afine fine patriotic service a good thing forthe for forthe or orthe the farmer who can thus get good I sober ober industrious laborers at a a. cheap rate a good thing for tor the girls who can thus get a wholesome outing as aswell aswell aswell I well as fair wages and the best thing of all for the nation which needs food and needs men and ne needs ds them at once The hea of the Womans Woman's I Land Lard Army of America Is s at 19 West Nest FortY FortY-f Forty fout th street New York |
