Fort Lewis soldiers, Vali housewives, Yelm matrons, the usual berry picking squads and others invaded the berry fields last week and just about cleaned up the berry crop.

 

Three bus loads of soldiers from Fort Lewis, were arranged for by Art Justman, and were on the job early Sunday morning and apparently made good money. One crow of pickers that came in, twenty, all cashed checks for $3.50 up to $4.00 and were away and ready to go home by 4:30. Others picked less and some picked more.

 

If the promptness and dispatch with which the soldiers waded into the berry fields is any indication of the way they will invade the foe, our safety is in good hands.

 

One soldier, expressing the feelings of most of the soldiers said, “Well the wa (sic) we figure it, the sooner we’ll get back.”

 

L. O. Cochrane has appreciated to the full the cooperation of a bu load of women from Vail who came each morning at 5:30 and returned to their homes and household duties at 2. This was done to help save the crops and it did just that.

 

The women and soldiers were not the only ones. Townaman Harrison Nugent, from the Centralia power plant, gave up his favorite sport, fishing, to help in the hot fields so that the crop would not be lost.

 

The ministers of the community also were among those who helped out. Rev. and Mrs. Hunter McKain were out and in the fields as was Mrs. Alice Meredith, who is pastor of the Roy Church.