New Britain herald., 1917-04-20
EMPLOYERS URGED
 TO PROCEED SLOWLY
Baker Asks That No Permanent
 Basis of Pay Be Fixed

Washington. D. C.. April 10.-sac- retary Baker. as chairman of the Council of National Defense, has asked the Chamber of Commerce of tho United States, through it's prasi- dent. R. Goodwin Rhett. to ascertain the sentiment of the business men of the country in the matter of voluntary civilian assistance in the care of do pendent families of men snlisting in the military and naval forces.
 Tn tho meantime" Secretary Baker declares in his letter to Mr. Rhett. "we would urgs that employers of labor make only temporary ar engagements with their employees until such time when 1t is hoped some uni- form system can be suegestsd which will adequately take care of tho sttua. uon.''
 The Council of National Defeusa has not as yet had opportunity to save consideration to this matter. but Sec- retary Baker says 1t is of very eroa& importance that the question should be thoroughly investigated as prompt ly as possible.
 Employers Ask for Uniform Method.
 For some time inquiries have been coming to the National Chamber from employers all over the United States who desired to do the proper thing in tho way of compensation to their em- ployes who had enlisted or intended to join some branch of the service. They were meeting the situation in different ways. Some, aS they had done during the Mexican crisis, were paying full wages in addition to the army com pensation. Another solution was pay ing the difference between tho army wage and that previously received by the employe. In fact, all sorts of measures were being devised to meet the emergency.
 Caring for Dependent FAunilfea.
 As a result of this effort the follow ing letter was sent by President Rhetf to the Council of National De- fense:
 we have a number of inquiries from employers of labor who are members of our organization whether or not there is in contemplation the adoption or suggestion of any uniform system of taking care of the depen- dent families of employees enlisting in the military and naval service of the country, and we should like to know whether the Council of National Dc fense has given consideration to this question.
 '"The experience of those in Eng ! land and Canada would seem to point F to the desirability of more or less systematic method of dealing with the | question in order that those who en- list may feel assured that those de- pendent on them will be properly | taken care of, while at the same time | the industries of the country may not ! be crippled.
 eff the Council has given thought i to this subject we should be glad If ! you would let us have the benefit of 1t for the purpose of advising our mem- bership and employers of labor gen. orally. If you have not done so. we should be glad to know if you do not think that an investigation of this subject. in all it's bearings. should be undertaken at once. If you would in this matter in any way. we beg to tender you our services in this respect as in all others whore you may think we may be of serSece.'
 Wait Result of Investigation.
 Secretary Baker Replied as Follows:
 We have not as yet had opportun- ity to give consideration to the matter of voluntary civilian assistance in the care of dependent families of mon enlisting in the military and naval forces, but deem 1t of very great im- portance that the question should be thoroughly investigated as promptly as possible. Its proper solution will