Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-24
Demobilizing the "War Workers. !"


Demobilizing the "War Worker"
Pruning knives are to be used freely
upon the appropriations, it is stated,
with q view to the reduction OF the
departmental forces in approach to
normal conditions. This means that
thousands of Hwar workers" will be
displaced by the close Of the pres
ent fiscal year. But it does not mean
that the government organization will
return to the former proportions.
It is impossible that the United
States administrative system should
revert to the size Of 1916, even when
peace has been fully restored and the
armies have been returned home and
everything has been settled on q nor
NAL basis. The war has created new
needs and these must. be met In the
Treasury Department, for an example,
there will continue for q long period
need Of larger forces to handle the
loan and revenue details. The income
Of the United States Is we'll IS the
outeo has grown to figures far exceed
ing the fiscal range Of former times,
and it will call for a much larger
clerical force to handle the business.
The same is true in the War and Navy
departments, which must necessarily
deal for q long time to come with ex-
banded personnel and material admin
istration. Other departments, growing
by natural course, will expand in peace
times.
So that q large number Of those
who have come to Washington to take
temporary positions under the govern
ment must remain for q time, although
several thousand may be let out to re-
turn to their homes, their work here
completed. The city cannot possibly
revert to its former size, and must
grow with its advance in international
importance. .........
Those who have come here to work
temporarily for the United States dur
ing the war have had some unpleas-
ant experiences. They have been
crowded in the street cars and have
been forced to make shift with made
quate housing. Washington was not
prepared for such sudden increase
In population. It was compelled with
In q few weeks to shelter and feed
forty or fifty thousand more people
than could be properly housed and
sustained. In the circumstances there
WIS some injustice, some 'profteer-
ing" by INSCRIPTIONS people, who are to
be' found in every community, and the
city suffered severely in reputation in
consequence, as these cases, which were
exceptional, became exploited as char
scteristic.
For those young men and women
who have come here during the past
ten months to work in the govern
msnt's emergency there can be nothing
but praise. They came from all parts
Of the country, many of them leaving
home for the first time, some of them
engaging upon their first paid work
II was not their fault that more were
brought here than were needed, that
mistakes were made by chiefs in esti-
mating the numbers required, and that
in consequence some of them had to wait
for duties to be given them. 1t was
net their fault that the government
did not move more promptly to sup
plement the quickly exhausted housing
facilities of the city with temporary
constructions. and that in consequence
the householders Of Washington were
put under heavy and in some cases
painful pressure to give them room
and sustenance, and that some un-
considerable profteering was perpe-
trated at their expense.
Nor was it the fault Of the District
that Congress failed to enact a reason
able law regulating rents. but hastily
put forth an enactment as an emer-
eeacy measure that unfortunately be-
esne in effect permanent and was ut
Aaply ;nadeouate and ineouitable. IF
We had the war to fight over again
and could have the benefit Of pre-
vision and preparedness in the matter
Of local facilities for caring for the
governments suddenly enlarged per-
sennel, Washington could do much
better and could make the patriotic
workers much happier and more com
Portable.