The Washington times., 1915-04-15

be secured II special investigators could
be sent to study the systems; or the
State Department, through its consular
agents abroad. might be able to secure
experience that Europe is going
through during the war Is one that we
vii! need to understand, and 1t will con-
tain without question some important
lessons for u.s."
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
Vrooman expressed keen interest in the
proposal to investigate and adapt the
methods that Europe is now devising for
meeting the extraordinary demands on
It's labor reserves. The Department Of
rected it's people everywhere. through a
circular addressed to them, to cooper
ate with the Department Of Labor and
the Postoffice Department in the de-
velopment of the national employment
agency idea: but he understood the dl-
rection Of the work as whole was
chiefly in the hands Of the Department
Of Labor.
1t is pointed out by the men who have
been giving attention to this subject,
that among the countries at war Great
Britain is the one from which have
come most Of the complaints about
labor conditions: and this is attributed
To- the fact that that country has not
had 80 good an organization nor 80
rigorous methods for getting it's labor
to the place where 1t Is needed. ana at
the work most required Of 1t. In Eng
land. for instance. there has been bitter
| complaint that the government has been
hiring young and vigorous men away
| from the farms: not to serve in navy
and army alone, but to do the work of
postmen and hundreds Of other occupa-
tions from which the regular employees
| have gone to the army. The farms. as
result. are being drained Of their
| labor supply.
This is analogous to the draft Of rural
L a 70 60 v..l
| ted States. condition of which com
| plaint has been growing for many
wears. One result is that the cities
| find themselves with tens OF thousands
OF unemployed people most Of the time.
| while at pressing seasons the agricul-
| tural sections cannot get labor to do
| seasonal tasks such as harvesting, hay
ing. and the like.
Striking Contrast.
| The chaotic conditions in Great Brit.
ain and the United states in this re.
| gard contrast strikingly with those
: better conditions that efficient organi.
zation has made possible in France and
Germany. Despite that, it has the ut
most need for keeping every ounce OF
labor power employed. England has g
problem of unemployment on its hands
right now that. complicated with the
| liquor issue. Is giving the government
great concern. Every effort is makini
| 10 Dettef aI1alTS In tns
United Kingdom. What is wanted b,
the department students of these prof
| ects here in Washington. is to learr
| Just how much OF the paraphernalia
that is being devised in the European
| countries may be fitted into the needs
| of the United States. The fullest pos
sible data will be gathered as fast al
possible on the various European plans
| and from those and the experience tina
| the Department of Labor Is accumulat
| ing with Its own experiments, 1t IL
| hoped to devise a system that will
| greatly better labor conditions gener
ally. making 1t possible to meet th'
needs of seasonal occupations on tn,
one hand and thus increase the value o
| their production, while on the oths
hand reducing the amount of unem
ployment. The railroads have general,
| indicated every wish to cooperate will
the government agencies to the limi
that the interstate commerce laws will
permit. 1t has been suggested tina
some amendments Of the regulatory
laws may be required and attempted ii
order to make this cooperation easier