The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-08-06
IOWA'S LABOR
QUOTAS FIXED
Polk, Largest, to Furnish 31S Men for
War Work--Committees
In Each County
Recruit.

DIES MONIES, Iowa, Aug. 6.-De-
Gliding on a quota basis according to
which each county's allotment of un-
skilled laborers Is to be fixed under
the call for 5,S05 war workers re-
Gently issued by the government, and
appointing abor community boards
In twenty. eight counties, were the
matters with which the state labor
advisory board busted themselves at
their meeting in the state labor COM
missioner's Office Monday.
In regard to the matter OF quotas
the board decided that each county
in the state shall furnish number OF
unskilled laborers under the call in
question equal to .002461 percent OF
the county's population as determined
by the 1915 census.
The basis adopted for the figuring
Of the county quotas is the same as
that used by the government In figur-
ing Towa's quota of the total number
of war workers to be furnished by
the entire country.
AS an Illustration Of how the thing
works out, it may be said that Polk
county, with population OF 129,121,
will be required to furnish 3l8 men
for war work.
1t is to be understood that not all
OF these men will be required to leave
the state. About 1900 of the 5,S05
will be needed here in Iowa. They
will be used in occupations calculated
to be essential in connection with the
winning of the war, however.
The balance of some $500 men
will be sent east. The first contin-
gent has already been called for. con-
sisting of 1000. 500 of whom viii so
to Norfolk, Va, and 500 to Newport
News, where they will be employed in
ship building.
In the appointment of community
labor boards the advisory board were
able to complete the organization in
only IS out of the 80 counties in the
state. Each of these community
boards consists of three members.
one of whom represents the laborers
Of the county, one the employers and
the third the government employment
service.
The method for the organization
of the boards Is to have each OF
these interests in the county make
a selection of the man it desires to
which selection is then submitted to
Only thirty-three counties have thus
far responded to the advisory boards
request for a selection Of community
board members, Of whom twenty
eight have been fully approved. A
second request was sent out Monday
by the labor commissioner to the
counties not yet heard from, urging
them to make their submission Of
membership for the community board
at once.
AS soon as the community boards
are all organized the advisory board
will send each its allotment Of men
to be furnished under any call for
laborers that may be issued. 1t will
then be up to these boards to get in
touch with the men and secure the
number required.
1t is to be understood that in all
matters pertaining to the recruiting
of labor in any particular county the
community labor board of that county
has full charge over the entire coun-
ty. The employment service, SO far
as that county is concerned, will act
only through the community board.
"It is important" said Mr.. Urick,
that the community boards should
be organized in every county at once
and that they get line on the labor
situation. They should inform them
selves fully as to Just what the needs
of their own county are in the mat
ter of war work, so that allowance
can be made for same when calls
for laborers come. Otherwise, there
is danger that they will lose all their
labor, which will be sent to other
places to engage in war work."