The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-12-13
Employment Problem.

Employment Problem.
The ordinary and normal processes
OF private Initiative will not, however.
provide immediate employment for all
OF the men OF our returning armies.
Those who are of trained capacity,
those who are skilled workmen. those
who have acquired familiarity with
established businesses. those who are
ready and willing to go to the farms,
all those whose aptitudes are known
or will be sought out by employers.
viii find no difficulty. Ii Is safe to say.
In finding place and employment. But
there will be others who will be Mt a
loss where to gain livelihood unless
plans are taken to guide them. There
viii be large floating residium of
labor which should not be left wholly
to shift for itself.
IL seems to be Important, y
therefore, that the develop 4
ment OF public works of every 4
sort should be promptly resum- 4
ed, In order that opportunities 4
should be created for unskliled 4
labor In particular and that 4
plans should be made for such 4
developments Of our unused 4
lands and our natural resources 4
as we have hitherto lacked 4
4 stimulation to undertake.
Speaks Of Lands.
i particularly direct your attention
to the very practical plans which the
secretary of the interior has deyeI-
oped In his annual report and before
your committees for the reclamation
OF arid, swamp and cut-over lands
which might, If the states were will
ing and able to cooperate. redeem
some 2OO.0000 600 acres of land for cul-
tivation. There are said to be 1900.
coo or 10000 900 acres of land In the
west. at present arid. for whose recla-
nation water is available. II properly
conserved. There are about go. COO
OOO acres from which forests have been
cut, which have never yet been clear
ed for the plow and which lie waste
and desolate. These lie scattered all
over the union and there are nearly
100000 acres Of land that lie under
swamps or subject to periodical over
flow or too wet for anything but
grazing which Is perfectly feasible TO
drain and protect and redeem. The
congress can ut once direct thousands
Of the returning soldiers to the recla-
nation Of the arid lands which II has
already undertaken II It will but en-
large the plans and the appropriations
which II has entrusted to the depart.
ment Of the interior.
1t 10 possible In dealing with 4
+ our unusual land to effect q 4
great rural and agricultural de- 4
4 velopment which will afford the 4
4 best sort Of opportunity to men 4
who want to help themselves, 4
and the secretary OF the interi- 4
= or has thought the possible 4
method out In a way which Is 4
worthy Of your most friendly 4
4 attention. 4
Must Aid Peoples.
have spoken Of the control which
must yet for q while. perhaps for q
long while. be exercised over shippinf
because Of the priority OF service e
which our forces overseas are entitled
and which could also be accorded III.
shipments which are TO save recent,
liberated peoples from starvation ant
many devastated regions from perma
nent ruin. May I not say a specia
word about the needs OF Belgium ane
northern France? No sums Of none,
paid by way Of indemnity will serv,
OF themselves to save them from hope
less disadvantage for years to come
Something more must be done thar
merely find the money. II they ha,
money and raw materials in abun
dance tomorrow they could not resum,
their place In the industry of the work
tomorrow-the very important plac,
they held before the flag Of war sweep
across them. Many Of their factories
are RACED to the ground. Much O.
their machinery has been destroyed o.
taken away. Their people are scat
tered ana many Of their best workmei
are dead. Their markets will be takei
by others; II they are not In som,
special way assisted to rebuild thei
factories and replace their lost instru
ments Of manufacture. They Shout,
not BE- left TO the vicissitudes of tn,
sharp competition for materials ant
for Industrial facilities which Is nov
to set in.
4 hope. therefore, that the ,
4 congress will not be unwilling. ,
4 II II should become necessary. ,
4 to grant to some such agency ,
4 as the war trade board the right =,
+ to establish priorities OF export ,
4 and supply for the benefit Of ,