Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-13

New York, April 1s.-Leading manu-.
facturers in tho United States are
seeking to discover the wisest and most
patriotic way of dealing with the prob
lem Of industrial payrolls during war
time and making provision for depends
ent families Of men who enlist.
definite effort Is to be made to
urge the government to provide sub
sistence allowances" in the United
States to dependent families OF men
who enlist, on a basis similar to that
adopted by the governments Of Great
Britain and Canada. and the creation
Of national patriotic fund will be
urged to be handled by the American
Red Cross assisted by the local
charity organization societies and local
commercial organizations in the matter
OF the necessary investigation.
Would Need Enormous Sum.
An enormous sum would have 20 be
raised in this country. It 10 said. Even
II only 100000 families should be in-
volved. 1t would mean 320.o00.oO0 1
month. or 324o,0oo.ooo year. for -ssp-
aration allowancas'' alone Most OF
this, 1t is calculated. would - ~ "a.
dittonaf tax on Americas businsss. II
lis understood everybody would be
asked to contribute TO this fund.
Information obtained from Great
Britain and Canada as to how the
problem was handled there disclosed
that because war was begun suddenly
prominent firms and corporations In q
burst Of patriotism publicly announced
they would give full pay during the
war to every man who bore arms.
Early British Plan Ruinous.
Something like ruinous confusion
and chaos threatened many of the
important industries of Great Britain
and Canada after Il year or more OF
this drain on business, the American
manufacturers were informed. The
generous offers made at the beginning
| of tho war set pace which public
sentiment encouraged but which busi-
ness was unable to keep up. The re-
! suit has been that the undertaking
| made by heads Of firms thruout the in
dustries 10 their employees had TO be
! cancelled and the entire method Of
| dealing with the problem in Great
Britain and Canada has had to be re-
adjusted.
Among Canada's chief difficulties
/ was n system by which employees per-
| mitted their men to go to the front on
| full pay. The Canadian employers
| concluded that condition where men
! fought side by side with n different
remuneration for their patriotism nat
urally bred discomfort and therefore
was wrong.
Raises Many Problems.
Employers who had promised their
employees to give them back their own
! jobs found 1t impossible to fulfil their
/ promises. Many came back MANNED
and injured and after two years OF
war II vast army OF temporary help
had been created in the factories. The
| problem OF getting rid Of this tempo
rary help on the return OF the soldiers
proved n difficult one. The employer
would irst of all, ii was explained.
provide for "selective conscription.'
| taking young unmarried men and even
! from this first draft send back to the
factories every man who was skilled
workman.
| New Plan Adopted.
! Tho British and Canadian govern
ments have decided, the American
manufacturers have been informed. to
pay a "subsistent allowance" to each,
dependent family representing figure
sufficient for food and rent alone. This
has been figured out to be $51.6S
month for family Of two adults and
three children, paid by the govern
mcnt direct to the family. Then there
! Is the Separation allowance" of $50 a
month for clothes. comforts. etc
The separate and "compassion''
allowances, also allowed, are not paid
by the government but come from q
fund raised by public subscriptions.
I. is understood that in this country
a very definite plan would have to be
made for the adjustment Of these al
lowances for the varied manner of
living thruout the country.