- February 4, 1941 – Earl B. Clark )Arrowhead Stock Farm – North Norwich, N.Y. to Mr. Phillip W. Ham (1504 Keyes Avenue, Schenectady, NY) –
Dear Mr. Ham:
Thanks for your fine letter of January 16. I am in full accord with all you have said. I am a member of a draft appeal board and have occasion to see what is happening where the local draft board does not give a board interpretation of the Training and Service Act.
Many of our fine young farm boys who have always lived on the farm and are necessary to carry on the enterprise satisfactorily are being drawn into service. Meanwhile they will have to be replaced, if obtainable, by some untrained, inefficient fellows whose main thought is short hours and big pay.
We have appealed to the Agricultural Defense Committee to use their influence to the end that the local draft boards be urged to give a broad and liberal interpretation of the Training and Service Act when considering the questionnaires of farm boys.
You will be interested to know that our farm organizations have appealed to the Secretary of Agriculture to store some of the surplus corn and wheat, the great bulk of which will be consumed I the east, here in the northeast now while transportation lanes are clear. UP to date this appeal has fallen on deaf ears but we are going to keep up the fight because we think the proposition is sound.
Sincerely yours,
Earl B. Clark