The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-05-22
MOULD HAVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
|. CON5CR!PT ALL MEN FOR LABOR
PLAN APPROVED BY CONNER
GAL SECRETARIES AT PITTS
BURGH YESTERDAY.
Wheeling Volunteer Plan Declared
Most FeasIblc-ketchum Heads
the Executive Committee.


The con$Criplion for work nl an
men not actually engaged IN mlllIaEH
or naval service, under supervision OF
he Federal government, was Sclcclc"
as the most practical method Of solN'
ing the labor shortage problem at 4
meeting of secretaries Of commercial
bodies OF Ohio, Pennsylvania and West
Virginia, held yesterday i'll Pittsburgh
The meeting was held at The SuGeea,,
ton of the Baltimore d Ohio tallroau
Company. and all who attended were
guests Of that company at luncheon al
the William Penn hotel. More lhan q
hundred commercial organization ON
cials Of the tri-Statc district attended.
The meeting was featured by IL
round-uHbe discussion of plans to m
crease food production and SoIyr me
labor supply problem. Dr. ". :.
ManSS, vice. president OF the Is. ~ d.
and head Of its commercial develop
mcnt. department, who presided, out
lined The various plans which nav
been tried Out by the baltimore n
Ohio system.
What ia known as the construction
gang plan. Dr. ManSs said. had been
tested and failed. He described ms
plan as being similar 70 the constitute
more laburerS. under Il superintendent
hired out TO farmers. The plan. ne
said, looks good. but isn't. Some farm
crS will want tho men perhaps a week
others will want them month. While
several may want them at the same
time.
. The school boy method has been
tried with some success. but is de-
clared impractical. he said. II is now
generally believed The hoy should he
kent in school rs long as possible.
CONSUMPTION Next Year.
After various plans had been DIS
'cussed and their merits and dement's
brought out, it was finally agreed maj
Federal conscriptiOn was III" DnS!
plan. Under this plan the government
would cOnscript men for whatever
work is necessary under the same
method men are COnScrlntcd 10: nun
1ary service, and dcSrrtcrs would be
treated as severely as deSertcrs from
the army.
II was agreed. however. that il would
BE- impossible Ia PM HE plan INFO op'
Grafton this year; that before the gov
eminent could gel the machinery IN
operation. the need for help on. III"
farms. at least. would be- past. 1t was,
therefore. decided that for this season
each community should adopt some
plan most easily put into operation.
The Volunteer plan. as advanced BY
he Wheeling Commercial Association,
was described by General Manager
Charles NJ. koichum. II was unani'
mously decided that il was the most
feasible and could b. tried out in all
communities.
Committees Are Named.
The as$emblage passed resolution
thanking the baltimore & Ohio Com
pany for taking the initiative in nj,
movement The resolution also urged
commercial organizations of Ohio,
PENNSYLVANIA and West Virginia 10 CO.
ordinate all efforts against eXpendinc
energy on plans which are impractic,
able. hut 10 unite in urging tho adon-
tinn Of the CONSUMPTION plan next year.
4 committee WAS. adopted 10 renrc'
sent each of tho three States in This
movement The committee from West
Virginia consists of Charles NJ. k"ich.
UNI. Wheeling. chairman: r. {. Ring
gold. Of ShcphcrlStown. vice president
IF the West Virginia Manufacturers
Association: G.. ". Duddrrar. S"crrta'
w OF Tho Clark$burg Board Of Trade:
lanes III. Stewart. Of Charleston. STAT"
Commissioner Of Agriculture. and j. q.
Finley. nf Parkershurg.
The chairman OF each committee is
2 member Of an cXrCu'ivr committees.
The chairman If the Ohio committee
* 4. r. Fallen. secretary Of III" Mar
tins Ferry Rnari Of Trade. and Robert
l.. Munc". nf Washington. Pa. is sec.
rotary Of the PENNSYLVANIA committee.
The executive cnmm!rl"r will hold i
meeting in Wheeling rhiS week "a pre-
narr Il pamphlet containing a resume
Of al plans discussed ut The meeting.
and making recommendations
Tho vaGranrv law n%SSrd hr Tho leg
islalurn Of West Virginia last week
was discussed. ard representatives OF
Ohio and Pennsylvania will ondraror
10 have similar measures enacted in
those States.