Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-19
LABOR CHANGES
IN WILMINGTON
To Be GRADUAL
Non Essential Industries Must
Surrender Their Men to the
Essential Industries.
QUOTA is TO BE EQUAL

Two hundred employers met in Eden
Hall last night for the purpose OF discuss
ing Njlmingsons $ labor problems: ne
meeting was called by the thamber OF
Commerce. Charles Warner. State director
of the Public Service Reserve, and 4. u
Renkharlt. State director OF the tnIted
States Employment Service IN tins clty.
John c. Savior. superintendent OF the
United States Emi loyment Service DIS
trict comprising Delaware and Pennsyi-
vania. presided and made briei intro
ouctory address
Copies Of United States Employment
service bulletin. containing an elaborate
explanation OF the governments war
labor recruiting and distributing program
effective as regards unskied labor on
,uqIIst we're distributed Mr. Saylor
thanked the press for giving publicity
tomatters concerning labor. and on motion
of G. ID. Garrctson, president OF the
Manufacturers and Employers Asso-
citation, the gathering requested the news
papers 10 publish the explanation OF the
labor program IL
Mr.. Warner explained a slmplitied
man-powcr census to Toe taken IN the
State of Delaware He stated that tins
was the onlv foundation by which the
public service reserve could determine
where men were most needed, and he
felt sure Of the hearty cooperation ot the
EMPLOYERS in this work tie stated that
agents OF the reserve would call on every
employer in the State of Delaware with
in a short time in order TO secure I he data
needed
Harold stone. chief Of the Mohiliza-
ton Division OF the United States En-
plovment Service N Washington ID. G..
outlined the administration : labor policy
He said success Of the lnited States and
her allies in the great war depends largely
on labor We have an army and are
sending men overseas and We must ship
supplies speedily In the last four Years
labor has received no recruits from en-
graf on. Industrial act ~ and farm
work have increased lwo mlhon or
three million men have gone into the
military service. Labor now i the same
as in 1910 The supply Is handicapped
by men travelling from one town to
another In search OF employment.
After quoting President Wilson's com
ment on labor stealing Mr. Stone said
there is but one employer OF labor, and
that IS the Jnited States government
The United States Employment Service
i an outgrouth Of the Emigration Ser
vice The Employment Service was
started on January l. 1918, under good
management Ii l. handling trst COM
mon or unskilled labor and has four funda-
mental principles: War work must have
1T anv cost the men II needs. the burden
musS be divided a equally a possible,
individual workers VIII volunteer hone
will he conscripted and fit men must be
obtained Patriotism is It's real power
every Ioyal citizen Will accept the opinion
of the government.
Mr.. Stone said the government Is
preparing n labor quota and will make
auportionments for the vaTous states.
The aDportionnent Will be as fair as
1,oSsIble l. will be on a better basis
han the army draft, being IN accord
ancc with need and supply When
completed il Will afford q inc picture OF
he industrial situation throughout the
country. Non-eSSential Industries IN vii
minrton must surrender their men 10
essential industries There will be or
ganized 2 State Advisory Board, com
posed OF two representatives, of industry.
Two representatives Of labor and the
state director OF the nited States
Employment Service The State board
will appoint community boards. For
Wilmington there Will be q board consist
ing of a representative Of industry. a
representative OF labor and a representa-
tive Of the United States Employment
Service
Mr.. Warner said the Public Service
Reserve Will recruit men and the United
State Employment Service Will place
them. The transfer from nOn-essential
industries TO essential Industries Will be
gradual: the quota OF men VIII be equal
and they will be transferred with the least
injury possible. Less essential industries
will continue. but their tonnage Will
gradually decrease The policy OF the
administration Is TO stabilize labor 4
sinplified man-pOwer census Will be taken
Mr.. Warner said railroads. farms ship
wards and munition plants are IN the
essential class He hoped the demand
for the transfer OF labor would be light
when the need comes II must be met
Mr.. Garretson said President Wilson's
request is the Manufacturers and En-
plovers Associations order. Mr.. Stone
answered many questions asked By Mr.
(,arretson and Others. Mr. (,arretson
vas told to send 10 the | nIted States
EmplovInent Service any applications for
erppIovrnent received by the Manufac-
f!,rers and EMPLOYERS Associations en-
r,Io&rnent bureau Mr. Stone said Wash
ington officials arc designing labor
service badge somewhat like a soldiers
badge They also are standardizing
common labor
MIR. Savior announced that the main
Office Of the United States Employment
Service is at Sixth and King streets:
the shipyard office is at No 4 Vest Front
street, and the women office is at No
S3S Market street Offices also Will be
provided Tor New Castle. Dover and
Georgetown Labor will not be trans
ferred from those towns but it viii be
stabilized
Representatives Of the speakers d.
vision of tho United States Employment
Service will come To Wilmington from
Washington next Monday to make ad-
dresses and to investigate labor conditions
here