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POTf APPLE PICKING PROJECT 



German Prisoners of V/ar stationed at Fort Devens will assist 

 about 50 growers in harvesting the apple crop in the Nt-.shoba area this fall. 

 At least 600 prisoners have been requested including about 100 in Hillsboro 

 County, New Hampshire. The Army has contracts v;ith tvro associations of fruit 

 grov/ers, which in turn have contracts vfith the individual growers. Here are 

 three pieces of information which throw some light on the project; (1) A 

 memo sent by IT. H. Thies to Nashoba apple growers on August 28, (2) a section 

 from the grower's contract, and (3) information for employers to guards on 

 the apple picking project, released by the Camp Conmander. 



(1) M emo. Your attention is called to the following items in connection 

 with the POW project: Telephone Number - Ayer 511 , Extension 4296 . You may 

 contact me by telephone during the following hours: Monday through Friday - 

 6:50 to 10; 00 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., or you may reach me by letter at Head- 

 quarters, POtY Camp , Fo r't DevensT ^Don't iiesitate to call or write about 

 anything which will contribute to a smoothly running program. 



Requests for prisoners shall be made by Thursday of the previous week . 

 So far as possible, the same group of prisoners will be continued on a 

 particular job. This may not be feasible, however, if a group is requested 

 a second time after being once released and put to v/ork elsev^hsre. 



Cancellations for causes other than rain must be made by 3 p.m. of the 

 previous day. For cancellations on account of rain (which must be made by 

 6 a.m. ), call Extension 4205 (operator on duty at all times). Growers nay 

 be assessed $1.50 a day per prisoner for cancellations not in accordance 

 with these rules. 



The transportation allowance covers only the distance over which prison- 

 ers are actually transported, - not the empty truck or bus mileage to and 

 from the Camp. Each truck or bus should be identified by a conspicuous 

 placard shov\ring the grov^rer's name» 



(2) Contract . The Grower shall pay for prisoner of war labor furnished him 

 at the rate of Sixty (60) cents per hour and for piece work at the rate of 

 Fifteen (15) cents per bushel box, -whichever is more. On either basis the 

 minimum hourly pay shall be 60/, The Grower chall also pay in advance five 

 (5) cents per day per prisoner employed to cover overhead expenses of the 

 Association. Any funds received from this source in excess of actual cost 

 will be returned pro-rata at the end of the season. The Grower shall, on the 

 signing of this contract, pay to the Association in advance for the prisoner 

 of war labor required for the first week of employment at the rate of $4.85 

 per day per prisoner. At the end of one week of employment the Grower shall 

 make a further payment for one week in advance (on Thursday) at the same rate, 

 and weekly thereafter as long as tlie employment continues. Checks should be 

 made payable to the Nashoba Fruit Producers Association and mailed to Harry 

 Bruns, Groton, Mass, (POVf Project Treasurer). At the end of the first week 



of employment the Grower shall pay to the Association any amount due for the 

 employment of prisoners during that week in excess of the advance payment. 

 In the event that the advance payment is in excess of the actual amount due. 



