THE WAR AND AGRICULTURE 397 



course of events) of regulating the supply and sale of farm 

 produce. -Yours, &c., 



H. TRUSTRAM EVE, Secretary, the Farmers' 



Club. 



A. H. H. MATTHEWS, Secretary, Central and 

 Associated Chambers of Agriculture. 



Even before this appeared voluntary offers to assist in the 

 harvest fields were received, and in order to find an outlet for this 

 willing energy the letter which follows was sent to some 500 farmers 

 within 100 miles of London. The Secretaries of all local Chambers 

 within that radius were also asked to help make these offers known, 

 and the letter was inserted in many local papers. 



8th August, 1915. 

 HARVEST EMPLOYMENT. 



DEAR SIR, Many people are anxious to do anything that 

 may be useful to the country in this time of crisis, and I am 

 receiving applications from London people, asking where 

 they can go and help in harvest work. Some of them will 

 be prepared to work without pay, or for payment of railway 

 fares, and perhaps some small sum towards board. 



Can you find employment for some ? If so, please let me 

 know by return of post, saying how may you can do with, 

 what you will pay, whether you can board them, and when 

 you want them. Also, can you find employment for any 

 women ? If so, let me know what sort of work it will be. 



I may say that many of these people are of the better 

 class, and are offering their services purely out of patriotism. 



Awaiting your early reply, I am, yours faithfullj-, 



A. H. H. MATTHEWS, 



Secretary. 



The result was rather surprising. With the exception of a few 

 who proposed unreasonable conditions, hardly any farmers wanted 

 extra hands, and those who did expressed the view that Londoners, 

 however willing, would be of little or no use. These discriminating 

 farmers were referred to the Labour Exchanges and that Depart- 

 ment made a special effort to be ready to meet any demand which 

 might arise, but their effort met with very little appreciation. 

 The few London volunteers that were employed, proved most 

 helpful to the farmers who engaged them, and appeared quite 

 to enjoy the fresh occupation. 



Realising the potential danger and finding that a decided 

 apprehension existed in the minds of many agriculturists, of the 

 risk of whosesale stack firing by aliens in the country, an official 

 at the Home-office was interviewed by the Secretary on 17th 

 August. The risk was explained and a request preferred that 

 a quiet and verbal warning should be given to farmers all over 

 the country by the local police. As the shortage of horses, caused 



