Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-11-17
ARMY OF J0BLESS
WINTER PROBLEM
Cause Of Unemployment Dis
cussed in Report Of La
Dor Commissioner
IMMIGRATION BIG TASK
How to Handle Hordes After
the War Will Take
Years to Settle

OLYMPIA, Nov. 15.-E. w. Olson,
state labor commissioner, has just
published the ninth biennial report of
his department. 1t is a comprehen-
sive document.
The "army of unemployed" is due,
says the report, to the fact that 23
per cent of the workers of Washing
ton are temporarily unemployed He
points out that these men naturally
drift toward the big cities, where, in
the winter time, they form the basis
for the agitation, which agitation dis
appears with the coming of spring
and the return of the men to work
Says the report:
Labor Enemy Of I. w. w.
at should be needless to
note that with the coming of spring
and work again and the resulting dis
banding of the army the I, w. w,
also disappear, it's agitators seeking
other climes, and labor generally set.
ting out to do the work in hand. and
as matter of justice to unions and
union men, it is well to add that the
legitimate trades unionist is a bitter
enemy of the l. w. W., liking neither
it's theories nor practices and general
ly doing everything he can to mini
mize the effect of it's propaganda"
The report takes up the question o1
immigration that will follow the open
ing of the Panama canal and the clos,
Of the war in Europe. The commits
sioner says he can find no foundation
for the report that the big steamship
companies propose to sell tickets OF
the installment plan among the peas
ants Of Europe. He says that thos'
who do come will demand from III
"the right to live and to work ant
| play"
Big Problem Ahead.
Continuing, he says:
"Once here, we must handle them
the best way we can. And if one-tentt
one might almost say one-fiftieth-
of the number arrive here that some
have predicted, we as a state will be
face to face with one of the most
difficult problems we have ever had
to contend with, problem that may
not be settled in a day or a week OF
month, but may take years, and in
those years will demand q readjust.
ment of things economic in this state,
and will rebound to the states benefit
only if the progress of our every en-.
deavor on the farm and in the work
shop is constant, ever forward and
never retreating, demanding as much
or more than there is to be given.
"Otherwise we shall have difficulty
in that readpustment, difficulty in
handling our immigration, however
small it may be. and difficulty in pre-
serving our own high standards. not
only of industry and of living, but of
business practice and governmental
principle"
War Will Stimulate immigration
The report says the commissioner
believes the war in Europe will stim-
ulate rather than retard immigration,
and he says their coming will not
help the state, no matter how many
thousands of acres are awaiting the
plow, "unless those acres are made
available to the immigrant who has
just enough money to get into this
country under the immigration laws,
for most of the newcomers are likely
to be in that class"
The report says that the exploita.
tion Of these people by one scheme or
another to get their labor in clearing
raw lands may stimulate farming in.
dustry for while. but may have a
serious drawback. He points out that
schemes to let them have the pro
duce for five years for their work
may be all right for a while, but al
the end Of that period the land would
be cleared and the state would have
great gangs Of foreigners for whom
we have to find employment or else
support by direct charity"
Recommendation Made.
The report tells how the depart
ment has been working with the in
dustrial welfare commission; outlines
the history Of the department; makes
recommendations to the legislature re
garding collection of wages; suggests
amendment to the eight-hour law al
applied to public works; gives terse
comment On the factory inspection
law; urges raising factory Inspector
from "a to IS a day: proposes boilel
inspection law. and faxors estshliah
ment Of free employment aeencaee.