The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-10

workers were to be conscripted for in
dustrial purposes--that the working op
portunities to which they were assigned
ought to be Communicated, so as to maxi
such workers not coerced servants of EN-
ployers but employees of the government
itself
There is, however, no reason for APP
pretending a necessity for any kind OF
labor CONSUMPTION in order to settle oil
prevent disputes between employers and
their employees which may interfere with
a vigorous prosecution of the war. In
every case in which responsible repre-
sentatives of disputing employers are
willing to negotiate considerably with
responsible representatives of conserva-
tive labor organizations which represent
their disputing employees in the spirit in
which they would negotiate with bust
ness competitors, labor disputes can be
settled speedily, effectively and without
| friction through the mediation service of
the department of labor. By simple and
fair systems of collective bargaining be-
tween the government, labor organiza-
tions and business organizations all la
Dor disputes prejudicial to an effective
prosecution of the war can be promptly
eliminated from war problems. Not only
can this be done, but it can be done to
the satisfaction of all concerned and in
harmony with every patriotic purpose.
"Our greatest need is the spirit of self
sacrifice for the common good-a sacri
flee of our pride, sacrifice of our preju-
dices, sacrifice of our suspicious against
each other sacrifice of our material com
forts, sacrifice of our lives, if need be-
to carry ON unimpaired the democratic
institutions handed down to us by our
fathers"
The report makes an announcement on
the much discussed pay and privileges
being allowed to the interned German
civilians in the camps controlled by the
department of labor :.
at was agreed by the department to
remunerate those of the interned aliens
who should perform labor of any kind in
connection with the construction or man
agement of the internment camp at the
rate of $50 month; those who served
in the capacity of foremen, etc, to re-
ceive $25 month The informed officers,
however, have been allowed to receive
from any source only $40 month and
the seamen SIS month, receipts in ex
cess of these amounts being placed in |
the postal savings bank to the credit of |
the interested parties, or otherwise dis
posed of as desired Purchases of cloth |
ing, ETC. can be made with the funds of |
the interned aliens, under the direction |
of the inspector in charge of the intern
ment station"
The department s work in mediating in |
wage disputes, enormously increased by |
war activities, have affected practically |
4 million men and have been eminently |
successful
"The number of labor disputes calling
ior government mediation increased sud |
ienly and enormously with the begin
hing of the war" says the report.
"In large number of instances the
,oncilators have been able not only to
,ring about agreements in cases of exist
ng differences-often arising from mis-.
inderstandings-bu to avert the threat
med strike altogether.
"The success which has attended the
departments representatives in the great
majority of disputes has been most
In many instances through
he efforts of the department strikes
which would have involved thousands of
workers. engaged in great operations were
uietly averted and industrial peace
All this was accomplished
7ithout publicity and the consequent ex-
itement which invariably attends in
ustrial disturbances when heralded in !,
he press Great plants thus secured UNI !
Interrupted production for stated periods !,
some of the agreements running for
ear and others for the period of the
-ar.
Labor has discovered that it has a !.
landing in the government machinery of !
8 country whenever its demands are :
ased on its industrial ana constitution
rights. Employers, on the other hand
ave found in the department defender !
gainst unreasonable exaction.
Reports now at hand indicate an i'm :,
ending call for not less than 10000 >
oiled workers of many classes. involv. T.
q over 80 mechanical trades, to serve
the various shipyards engaged in !
vessels for the shipping
,ard. To secure the workers necessary
centralized employment system is high
desirable if not absolutely essential. y
it has become necessary to ::
tablish several additional war emer- =
ncy offices of the United States en- -
oyment service and to employ travel :,
9 field workers and agents to locate
lalified workers for the yards. =;
THE extraordinary demand for man -
wer' on the industrial as distinguished =.
ON the military side of war prepare =,
,ns was responded to by the depart =
emit through its L. s employment serv- ~
: a. soon as the demand arose. Much
the demand was found to have been -,
fuenced more by eagerness for labor Ia
low or inadequate wages relatively to -
e sharp rise in living expenses than by
neral labor shortage. But in some o.,
ices. especially in the neighborhoods of H.
milton establishments which had been a,
wing European war demands at enor- !.
nus profits. there was genuine scar =,
v Of labor for less profitable forms of =
On the whole, the problem A,
first probably was less a problem Of on
'or scarcity than Of imperfect distri- II,
ton