The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-10-20
CONSUMPTION OF
LABOR FOR WAR
IS CONSIDERED
First Step to Mobilize Workers
to Man Plants Turning Out
Supplies Is Taken.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18.-Con-
scription of millions of skilled and
unskilled workingmen to man air.
plane and munition factories, steel
mills, navy yards, merchant ships,
mines. and other plants making sup
plies Of war is being seriously con-
sidered by the administration.
The United States has been in the
war six months. yet construction of
ships, airplanes, army and navy
ordnance and the production Of
ammunition, clothing, and other
equipment are tagging because Of the
shortage of labor, administration Of
ticials say.
The situation has been discussed
at several recent cabinet meetings,
and officials Of the war and navy de-
soon will confer on proposed solu-
tions of the problem.
The shortage of labor is attributed
to industrial expansion and to the
withdrawal from industries of ap-
proximately 100000 men who have
joined the army, the navy, and who
have been Drafted
The mistake Of Great Britain in
allowing many Of its skilled laborers
they had to be recalled, has been
avoided by the United States. the
administration declares. Men needed
in war industries and on the farms
and in the mines were exempted.
Exemptions Not Ordered.
Such exemptions were not made
however, unless specifically sought
by or on behalf OF the draft regis
trants. Skilled workmen who did
not ask exemption were drafted.
There was no hindrance to the en-
listment Of skilled workmen in the
regular army and national guard.
Although the administration was
urged early in the war to mobilize
labor for work in war plants, the
first move was disclosed this week
in the following official statement:
Official Announcement.
1.-THE department of labor an
nounces that through the United
States public service reserve, it is
making a survey, from the Informal
ton at hand of the requirements for
additional men by various branches
of the government and concerns
holding war contracts. Officers Of
the reserve in charge Of the work
expect to keep the information OBJ
tanned to date so an intelligent esti-
sight.
AACAO AO" - uO pldCe where
there is any comprehensive infor-
nation as to what men are going to
be needed in various civilian activi-
ties directly connected with the war.
"Obtaining this data is essential to
any effort to deal with the scarcity
Of skilled labor which it is expected
will shortly become acute here, as it
has in other countries engaged in the
war;"
Administration officials admit that
II they fail in the next two months
to obtain a sufficient labor supply
to speed up all war contracts it will
be necessary to adopt CONSUMPTION Of
workers.
1t would be necessary to obtain
legislation authorizing such con-
scription. It also is likely that the
government would commander
plants manned with conscript labor.
The aircraft board has comman-
deered airplane spruce lumber on the
Pacific coast, and mills having IA
cilities for saving airplane spruce
must give the government prefer
ence. There is a. labor shortage Of
at least 30 per cent in the spruce
lumber industry.
Thousands Of women will be en-
ployed in aircraft factories. Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy Franklin
Roosevelt says the department is
considering employing women in gov
eminent navy yards in every posi-
BILE capacity. The two big naval
clothing" factories now virtually are
run by women.