The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-12-17
DEARTH OF WORKMEN IS
" ALREADY BEING NOTED
dattiesburg Railroad Men Are Being
5, Asked to Furnish information To
& Be Used Later-Scarcity of Labor.
ers Is Being Reported Everywhere,
Due to the Fact That Mills and Fac
tories Are Resumins Operations.

With labor practically at a prem
ium already, the United States Cham |
Der of Commerce, working through
the passenger agents of the railroads
of the United States, is endeavoring
anticipate conditions in this country
after the close of the war with Eu-
rope.
A canvas of the railroad passenger
agents of Hattiesburg and TIE South
ern part of Mississippi, the bankers of
this section that handle the small ac-
counts of foreigners, and every per-
son, official or individual, who deals
with immigrants, is being made. All
the information obtained is being sent
to Frank Trumbull, chairman of the
immigration committee of the United
States Chamber of Commerce in New
York. 1t is expected that the infor.
nation will have been collected by
February 1,
The railroads are generally the first
to feel any shortage in labor. Already
the. Mississippi roads have felt me
pinch, especially since Europe entered
the war On May 8.
That there is a scarcity of labor
throughout the country as well as in
b this part of Mississippi is shown by
reports from the larger cities. Yes
terday, the names of only $4,000 per
sons were found on the rolls of the
street cleaning department of New
York, when men were wanted to help
clear the streets of snow. The same
day year ago, when the metropolis
was under bed of snow 10 inches
deep, there were $4,000 names on the
books. representing that number OF
men who wanted work and who were
anxious to work.
The same condition. prevails in the
other large cities as well as through
out the South
Free Service Promised.
The data collected will be furnished
to all organizations, industries ant
others interested in the problem.
Five questions have been draw
I'D and approved which will be TIL
basis of the inquiry. These question
are:
Are those of foreign birth or parent
age in this country saving money a
the present time with view to brins
ing their European relatives an
friends to this country after the war
Does the personal correspondent
which they are receiving from Europ
indicate that there will be any col
siderable movement to this countr
after the war is over and what,
far as you can get the Information,
the estimates indicate as to the VIC
ume?
Will such immigration as does CON
consist of people who have been wor
ing on farms or of those from IL
factories?
After. the war is over, will there
any considerable emigration from tn
country to Europe of those going ba'
to live permanently there9
How great will be the movement
those going back to Europe tempo
arily after the war to look after th'
relatives, or through sentiment
view the destruction of their cal
homes, ct cetera, and who will retu
TO this country after a short visit?
The decrease in immigration a
the return home of many reservi
have seriously affected unskiiied
Dor conditions. This is especially u
Of the decreased immigration, as
Immigrant usually adopts this as
first means of earning living, Ia
graduating to the skilled trades.