The Washington herald., 1917-04-16
Army and Navy New,
Best Service Column In City.


Leading manufacturers Of the United
States are seeking the best and most pa
triotic way Of dealing with the problem Of
industrial payrolls during war time aud
making provision for dependent families
Of men who enlist in any branch Of the
national service.
A definite effort is TO be made IL was
learned yesterday to have the government
provide subsistence allowances" in the
United States to dependent families OF
men who enlist, similar to that adopted
by Great Britain and Canada, and the
creation Of national patriotic fund will
be urged, to be handled by the American
Red Cross, assisted by charitable societies
and commercial organizations.
An enormous fund would have to be
raised for separation allowances" alone,
most as an additional tax on business.
and 1t is understood everybody would be
asked to contribute.
Information from authoritative sources
in Great Britain and Canada as to how
the problem was handled there disclose
staggering experiences" II appears that
because the war came suddenly. promi-
nent firms and corporations in a burst Of
patriotism publicly announced they would
give full pay during the war 10 every
man who bore arms. This was intended,
1t was explained, TO encourage enlistment
Runious Confusion.
Something like ruinous confusion and
chaos threatened many OF the important
industries Of Great Britain and Canada
after year or more of this drain. The
generous offers made at the beginning of
the war set a pace which public sentiment
fostered and encouraged, but which bust
ness was unable to keep up. The result
has been, investigation showed. that un-
dertakings made by heads Of firms to
their employees had to be cancelled and
the entire method Of dealing with the
problem in Great Britain and Canada has
been readjusted.
Among Canada's chief difficulties was
the system by which individual firms
permitted their employees to 20 to the
front on full or part pay. thereby es-
/ tablishing an 'Undemocratic order Of
things In the trenches. Canadian en-
ployers finally decided that a condition
where men fought side by side with a
difference in remuneration for their pa
trlotism naturally bred discomfort, and
was morally wrong Enlistments, more
over, were encouraged without regard TO
skilled or Unskilled labor with the re-
suit that production was severely handi-
capped.
Employers who had promised their en-
ployes TO give them back their jobs found
II impossible TO fulfill their promises
Many came back manned and injured.
and after two years OF war a vast army
OF temporary help had been created in
the factories. The problem Of getting rid
OF this temporary help, on the return OF
the soldiers proved difficult.
SeIeetive COnscrIption.
The employer in Great Britain and
Canada would, first Of all, II was e1-
planned. provide for 'seIective consCrip-
tion." taking young unmarried men and
even from this first draft send back to
the factories every man who was a
skilled workman.
The British and Canadian Govern
ments have decided. the American manu-
facturers have been informed, 10 pay q
Subsistence allowance" to each de-
pendent family, representing a figure
sufficient for food and rent alone That
has been figured out to be S5l6S a month
for a family OF two adults and three
children, paid by the government direct
to the dependent family.
Then there is the separation al
loWance" of so a month per family for
moderate comforts, clothes, &C. and the
compassionate allowance made at the
discretion Of a central agency, distribut-
ing the fund in exceptional cases
These separation" and compassionate
allowances are not paid by the govern
ment. but come out Of a national pa
trtotic fund raised by voluntary subscrip-
tions and distributed through some cen
trail agency.
1t is understood that in this country a
very definite analysis would have 10 be
made for the adjustment OF these allow
ances. in accordance with varying cost OF
living and different standards OF living
existing in various parts OF the country.