The Washington times., 1915-04-05
GIVING LABOR A CHANCE

The world is just beginning to
sense the fact that the war will
bring long train Of changes in eco
nomic methods, some Of which it is
already possible to judge pretty ac-
curately, while others are not at all
plain. Generations Of effort to make
a moral issue of enforced abstinence
from drink produced less results
than a few months Of study Of the
strictly economic aspects. The world
discovered that it needed the highest
possible efficiency among its work
ers, whether at the moment they
might be fighting or making the in
struments with which to fight. That
argument for prohibition got along
faster than any other ever devised.
Now comes from France an alb
sorbing story of how the government
is making it possible to take mil
lions of men away from productive
industry, and yet avoid the complete
disjointure of the economic scheme
of the country. It is promised, for
instance, that France will produce
crops this year that on the whole
will approximately equal those of
years under normal conditions. How
the thing could be accomplished
tells a story which is worthy the
study of nations at peace as we'll as
those in war.
When the war compelled the draft
on the industrial population for pur-
poses of national defense, the au-
thorities set at work to redistribute
the workers who were left. In the
cities were, as there always are,
many people whose occupations were
of doubtful productive value, or none
at all; many, indeed, who were con.
sumers without being producers at
all. These by thousands were taker
in charge and set at work. There
was no room for drones; not ever
for the drones who in ordinary time
are "able to pay" for what they
need. To the country districts were
sent armies Of these people from
towns and cities, and put at the field
work deserted by the soldiers march
ing away to the war.
A splendid organization was per
fected, for the purpose of bringing
the man and the job together. There
was, of course, no lack Of jobs; il
was altogether question of making
the labor supply 60 round. Square
pegs of workers in round holes Of
jobs must be avoided SO far as pos
sible; but after that, it was abso
lutely necessary to do the best pos
sible with whatever labor supply was
to be had. Men unfit for militar!
service, boys, women, people with i'm
portant kinds of expert knowledge
who could be more advantageous!
employed in administration than il
the army-these were mobilized al
thoroughly and systematically a.
were the soldiers; organized, dis
tributed to the sections where the!
were needed, assigned to the worl
that on the whole they could best do
When horses were requisitioned fo
army use, oxen, cows, human powe
Everything available-were draw
upon for farm work. There was al
most no serious interruption o
either the harvest, which was il
progress when the war started, or o
the subsequent fall planting of tn
numerous crops that must go int
the ground at that season.
There will be no draft on tn
imagination to realize that France il
fact confronted a situation striking
| ly like that which, though less acute
faces the United States every veal
There is a vast waste of labor
power because the man and the jo
are not brought together. Midsum
mer sees the grain States crying ou
for help to harvest their crops; an
midwinter sees the cities full of pee
pie out of work. France has bee
forced to organize her labor force
in the most thorough fashion, an
she has produced wonderful result
The lesson should be studied and az
piled in this country.
HAIR.SpI JTTIN0 OIIPS STION