The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-29
GOVERNMENT TO
CENTRA[ZE LABOR
Employment Service Takes Up
Work Of Equalizing Supply
Upon Actual Demands.
STOP LABOR PoACHING
Big Industrials Are Required
to Help in General Distri-
button of Essentials in
Shape of Man Power

Mayor Ainsiie has received from =.
B, Densmore. director general OF the
department OF labor at Washington. =
copy Of the official notice concerning
the labor situation. The mayor places
the matter before the public. The
order says:
On August /, the supplying OF war
industries with common labor viii be
centralized in the United States an
ploymsnt service Of the department Of
labor. and AL independent recruiting
OF common labor by, manufacturers
hAvtnss q payroll of more than 100 men
will be diverted to the Unftsd States
employment service. This 10 In 40
cordance with the decision of the war
labor policies board and approved by
the president on June II. tThe war
labor policies board is composed OF rep
rssentatives of the war. navy and
Agricultural departments, the shipping
board and emergency neet corpora
ton, the war industries board. and
the food. fuel and railroad admins
trations. It's chairman IL Felix Frank
fuEter. assistant to the secretary Of
Ahor.t
Labor PcacAinS.
The above action was found neces-
sary to overcome perilous shortage
of unskilled labor In war industries,
This shortage was aggravated by an
almost universal practice OF labor
stealing and poaching.
While the restrictions against the
private employment OF labor apply
only to common labor At the present
time, these restrictions will. as soon as
possible. be extended to include
skilled labor. In the meantime. re-
duction win be subject to federal reg
ulaticns now being prepared.
The drastic change in the nations
labor program has been found mecca
sary in order to protect employer and
employed. TO conserve the labor sup
ply Of the communities and to cut
down unnecessary and expensive labor
turn over (which. in some cases. 10 as
high as 100 per cent = weekly, and to
increase the production Of essentials.
Equitable Basis.
While non essential Industries viii Be
drawn upon to supply the necessary
labor for war work. the withdrawal
win be conducted on an equitable basis
In order to protect the individual em-
ployer ~ much ~ possible.
Under the operating methods adopt
ed. the country has been divided into
thirteen federal districts. each district
in charge Of superintendent Of the
United States employment service The
states within each district are In turn
In charge Of . stats director. who has
full control Of the service within his
state.
In each community there 10 being
formed . local community board, con-
sisting OF . representative OF the United
States employment service, . represent
tative OF employers and . representa-
have Jurisdiction over recruiting and
distributing labor In its locality.
A survey OF the labor requirements
II being made. and in order that each
community may be fully protected.
rulings have b>en issued that no labor
shall be transported out OF any COM
mupity by the United States employ
ment service without the approval
OF the state director: nor shall any
labor be removed by the service from
one state to another without the ap-
prevail Of the United States employ
ment service At Washington. Every
effort will be made to discourage any
movements from community to COM
niunity or state to state by any other
service.
This labor program has the approval
Of all producing departments OF the
government. through the war labor
policies board.
Protect Farm Labor.
1t must be understood that farm
labor will be protected. for the indus
trial program distinctly includes spe.
cial efforts to keep the farmer sup
piled with labor.
The requirement that unskiiled labor
must be recruited. through the sole
agency Of the United States employ
ment service does not at present apply
in the following hvs cases:
HI l. Labor which = not directly or In
directly solicited.
2. Labor for the railroads.
4. :. Farm labor to BE- recruited In 40
cordance with existing arrangement
with the department. Of agricuIture.
4 Labor Tor non-wAr work.
:. Labor for sstabitehmsAts wheoe
xCon1inued ~ Dooon4 Hooesl