Evening journal., 1917-12-26
]. 5. LABOR SUPPLY
MORE Than EhPLE
Public Service Reserve
Gives Figures on
Mobilization
ATERIAL IS
THE NEW PROBLEM

WANhlNirlONt DtC. 20 lAt dNdA-
able labor power Of the United states
totals 29,e5o0OO men, according to a sur
vey made by the public service reserve
Of the Department Of Labor.
The reserve has been mobillzing
available labor for work II has found
more labor power than can be utilized
at this time, it reported Yesterday. The
requirements Of the various war indus
tries are being set off against the total
OF men and women available for work
in specified lines. IL has been found,
however, that the largest mobile labor
force Is that upon the farms Of the
country, and these men are not skilled
IN the mechanical trades that would
make them Immediately available for
work on war supplies. In addition there
has developed a strong pressure to keep
these men on the farms.
The mobile labor force, In the terms
OF the reserve, Is the proportion Of men
In any trade or calling that Is easily
movable, the "iloaters' and others who
are not attached to the soil or to any
community
After taking out the farm labor and
others not skilled In the lines desired
there Is still sufficient labor power to
meet requirements for war work, the
flgerres show
For instance, there are available for
ship work 10 the United States today
i36.50O men not now in the shipyards.
They cannot be utilized at this time, II
Is said, because the yards are not
ready for them. More ships cannot
be worked for lack Of material, and the
- .-l.f e1a trrorls fa
one OF material than OF men, according
10 those In charge Of labor mobilization.
A. amo OF the yards there Is no pro-
vision for caring for additional men,
end more cannot be moved until they
can be housed and cared for.
In addition there are thousands OF
skilled mine workers not now in the
unskilled men. helpers. shovelers and
mines, but there is a grave shortage Of
others
The total labor power Of the country
is estimated at i0.i0000O persons. This
includes s,750O00 women who are en-
gaged In galnful occupations. TWO
million of these women are engaged In
the mechanical and manufacturing In
dustries, and therefore, are fitted for
machine and other work on munitions
of war, on shells on clothes and shoes.
All OF the women, however. were de-
Quoted from the total figures given by
the reserve OF available labor power. In
addition there was a deduction Of A..
100000. estimated as the total require
ments for the National Army. This
leaves the estimated total 29,650OOO al
the available labor supply.
These figures show that there arr
100000 men engaged In domestic ant
personal service in the United States
plans are being considered TO obtain tht
ser, Ice Of such men on war work
though they are for the most part un-
skilled.
The other general classlfcations show
100000 men and 100000 women en-
eaged In agricultural, forestry and ami.
mai husbandry. t,OO0OOO men engaged
In mining of all kinds, 9000OO0 mer
and 100000 women engaged In th'
mechanical and manufacturing indus
tries. 100000 men and 100000 women
engaged in transportation, 3,4O0OOD
men and 600O0O women engaged In
trade. buying and selling, $4,000 mer
and 10000 women engaged In the un'
classified public service, 100000 mef
and 100000 women engaged In tn
professions, 100000 men and 2,5OOWN
women engaged IN domestic and per
sonal service and 100000 men an'
100000 women In clerical occupations
The survey is at present mohilizinl
men for the non-combatant branches o
the army. II is estimated that 22o,OO
men will be needed in France in stat
corps work for each 100000 lighting
men or men in the line. This mean
that one man behind the lines will b.
required to care for the needs OF eacl
four fighting men. For the most par
they must be skilled men-engineers
building trades mechanics, machlnist
and blacksmiths.