Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-29

eminent service as proof of their fit
ness. Miss Mary Van kleeck of the
woman in industry service. Labor
Department, told the Richmond con-
ference:
The record made by trade union
women appointed to official positions
in the federal government is not
merely interesting in the history of
the war. 1t is prophetic"
Examples of Success.
She described their success in the
women'S branch OF the ordnance de-
partment. in the Department of Labor,
in the employment service of that de-
partment, in the woman'S section of
the railroad administration and on the
staff of the War Labor Board itself.
Though admitting that women who
filled mems positions pending their re-
turn should give way to them now,
Miss Van Kleeck said: Fear of I'M
employment and fear of wage compe-
tition are back of the demand that
women withdraw from industry.
Couched in terms of giving back their
jobs to returning soldiers the demand
acquires an atmosphere of the war
spirit and a patriotic appeal which
obScureS it's real import.
Her suggested remedy is not with
drawal of women from industry, but
development of a national system of
abor exchanges to lessen the fear of
unemployment. and extension of agen-
cieS of adjustment to eliminate I'M
just cuts in wages.
Summarized, the demands of the
women. as outlined by Miss Van
kleeck include working day of eight
hours, wages on a basis of occupation
and not of sex. proper physical work
| ing conditions. employment manage
| ment by women in plants employing
4 ion,
! forcing standards and cooperation
with official agencies.
| Echoes of many OF these reforms
advocated by Dor already are repre-
scented i'll pending Congressional leg
islation. Measures now under con-
| sideration on Capitol Hill relate to vo-
| cational rehabilitation of crippled in
| dustrial workers as provided in the
jSmith-Bankhead bill, development of
a federal-state employment service to
guard against all unemployment
crises, and before several state legis-
| latureS are workmen's health insur-
ance laws.
labor situation will be reviewed by
Congress if the comprehensive resolu-
| ton introduced by Senator Kenyon
| providing for an investigation of
, labor conditions. is passed after it
comes from the committee on educa-
mentioned for investigation in this
resolution are: Establishment of a
national board to review differences
| between employers and employees,
! regulariZation of employment. de-
velopment of the United States en-
ployment service into a federal labor
exchange. centralized control of the
housing projects undertaken during
the war. promotion of better living
conditions, extension of soldiers and
sailors insurance to civilians. inSur-
ance against unemployment, sick
! ness and death insurance at low rates,
national minimum wage law. extern
sion of Vocational education to
civilian workers who are crippled by
accidents, and general inquiry into
/, ways of bringing about better re-
| lations between employers and their
i employees.
nations already have been experiment
stations from which the United
| States can draw lessons. Others are
untried and mean an embarkatio9
scented In pending congressional leg
any seriously suggested before the
u 49,