1944 GERMAN POW'S
IN
DOWN STATE DELAWARE
Preparations are made for
2000 or more German POW's to arrive in Delaware early May to
serve the critical shortage
of labor for down state Delaware farms and canneries, and lumber
industry.
Acting Manpower Ddirector
of Delaware, Elmer H. Smith, said the POW's will furnish labor
needs to farmers and
canneries of lower Delaware, and will be adequately guarded by Army
troops,
“will go a long way toward
solving a labor shortage in the food processing plants of the state”.
The American government had
urged farmers to produce increased vegetable crops and record
production is expected as is
the loss of labor due to the draft and war production factories
higher
wages. Transportation
problems and restrictions will also effect migratory workers normally
available.
Packers, farmers and other
food producing establishment had requested the prisoner some time
ago through military
authorities. Objections of Sussex county resident to the use of
available
Japanese-American labor
also was a factor for the request for alternative means to obtain
needed
labor.
Fort du Pont's existing
barracks and the vacant CCC camps in the lower counties will be
surrounded by stockades and
become the living facilities for the summer months.
Wilmington Morning News,
April 20, 1944, Wilmington, Delaware, Sussex County News Items.
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