The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-20

same attention as a similar condition in
an industry affecting men. Hosiery mills
which were running on government or
ders have been allowed two weeks addi-
tional work after they finish their pres
ent contracts. longtime delivery is
provided for, so that the S0-needle ma
chimes required for the heavy yarn in
soldiers socks may be shifted into sets
of 100 needles as used for the silk and
cotton hose of commerce, and no change
has resulted to the workers other than in
some cases temporary shortening of
hours. All knitting, cotton and wooden
industries have been handled in the same
fashion, with the triple aim of rapidly
cutting off war costs without mourning
the greater costs of dislocated industries
and industrial unrest.
In many states, even where war orders
predominated, the replacement of women
war workers in peace. time industries is
being carried on within the states or at
least with nearby states, largely without
recourse to Washington. In Ohio, where
nearly every industrial center contains
scores of plants that have been working
on war orders and transfer from industry
to industry has been rapid within the
past two weeks, only one appeal had to
be telegraphed to Washington for help
until the women employees could be alb
sorbed elsewhere. In many cases exam
iners from women's division offices Of the
employment service were detailed to the
offices of large plants where women
workers were being laid off. In other
cases a still more thorough cooperation
between employer and the service was
effected. The woman examiner was fur
nished a list of women workers before
their release, with description of their
qualifications. "Then," said one little
woman, "by extra work, long distance
telephoning, and so forth, we were ready
to place all these women without the
least delay. It's been hectic time for
us in the service, but it's worth all the
effort to know there aren't any women in
Ohio who are jobless and hungry, so far
as we know"
Similar reports come in from other
states In Virginia, where the employ
ment service has counted itself primarily
a mans affair, because of the thousands
of men needed at Norfolk, Hopewell and
other war centers, the after thew sur
vey just made has shown a surprising
number of opportunities for women One
big war contractor has turned all hrs
war profits back into plant engagements.
When seen last week he was eager to
have women operatives sent to him My
new plant is just completed" he ex-
planned, "By good luck I'm ready to
o. - na,l IL
slate. / have plant that is modern in
every respect, including conveniences for
women workers. | can use women imme-
diately up to 500"
"a good many war workers are going
out of industry examiners of the EN-
ployment service report from another
state I'VE have had to comb this region
very thoroughly in the past few months,
and appeal strongly to patriotism, to OBJ
tain enough women for the work that
had to be done, An appreciate number
of women who had never worked before,
or women who had not worked since
marriage, say they are going home at
least for a time. Soldiers frances and
wives belong in this class of course Then
there are others who simply say i don't
have to work for the sake Of bread and
butter I'm not needed any longer So
am going back home Even if some of
these women come back to us later, they
will come at a time when conditions are
more stable, and when we can probably
have more choice of occupation TO offer
them" the woman of the service ex-
planned.
One of the most encouraging things
about the whole after -the-war movement
Of employed women and one to which Of
fcials of the service have given most at
tention, is the home community trend of
women who want to keep on working
They have been called from all the condi-
tions that make for normal life, just as
the soldiers and sailors have been, by the
emergency. Neither the department of
labor, nor the war employer has the pow
er the war department possesses, to de-
mobilize its forces at their own front
doors. The common sense of the individ-
nal and the force of public opinion have
been relied upon largely, to accomplish
this result in the case of the women
workers. Service officials are following
out this policy of placing the woman who
continues to work either in the commu
nifty where she now Is, or in her home
community, whenever possible.
A big factor in the realization of this
plan lies in the active cooperation of the
great women's organizations of the cOun-
try, with their power of molding public
opinion. The woman's committee of the
council of national defense, the national
league for women's service, the national
council of women, and number of or
carnations, smaller in membership, but
powerful in their appeal to women inter
ested in special phases of our industrial
program, have recently pledged their
support to the woman's divisions of the
employment service. Officers Of the three
organizations named are sending specific
requests to state officers for immediate
co operation with the service, in its
black home" policy of placing women
war workers.