Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-23
Labor Dilution
by Frederic ]. Haskia


THEW il one phase of the labor situa-
ton IN this country which mystifies
great many people. Undoubtedly, a
very serious shortage Of labor does exist;
yet il IL not uncommon for q working
man to cool his heels for hours in an
employment office, only 10 receive the
final verdict there - nothing doing.
The reason for this IL that only labor
wild scramble TO obtain the services Of
foor-wnikezs, ledger clerks, window dress
ers or book agents. On the other hand,
there 10 very acute need for mnchinists,
toolmakers. and men of similar trades.
II is said that there is not angle expert
machinist in the labor market today II
such a one exists he will be able almost 10
command his own wage from any of score
of industrial plants.
Az a result of this shortage of men
skilled In certain trades, strange word
has come into Use in factories. j he word
is "diIu'ion" Roughly, dilution means
plugging up holes which exist in the labor
supply bv the introduction of new workers
and Of new methods This is a problem
SD complex and important that IT has
been necessary for the government TO
create n special division of the Depart
ment OF Labor TO take care Of II This
division is known as the training and
tliutipn service, headed by Director
Charles T. Clayton.
or AGhTNsT TT, TOO.
A few figures suffice 20 show what the
training and diluton service Is up against.
At the last census the industrial pOpuia-
tion of the United States Including
agriculture) was listed A. thirty-nine
millions Since that time, according 10
official records, three million have been
added, making n total of forty-two million.
Out Of TINT number, five million have
joined the oolors The farme engage elev-
en- million and the professions mil
lion. The war industries have taken
twelve million, leaving only thirteen
million for non-war industries. Ont Of thIs
number six million must be added 10
war industries by the first Of June, leaving
non-war industries to struggle along With
a scant seven million.
There in no such thing az non-ns :
sensiai industry" Director Clayton af-
firned. recently There are industries
which are essential to the prosecution Of
war. and those which arc not Most ~
the latter are essential to a comfortable
human existence, and therefore muet not
disappear.
II is not likely that the non-rar in
dustries can continue az they should
with seven million workers let there
are more ways than one OF making tins
deliclt and more than ono Of supplying the
SIX million needed for war purposes
AND THAT'S "pILUTIoS
These ways are all combined IN the
term hd,lution The single feature of
f,.a N
troduc;ion Of women INTO work performed
heretofore exclusively by men. Tins
has not been quite so extensive as has
generally been supposed The govern
rnent from the beginning, has followed a
policy of extreme caution IN regard I"
women workers. Women, il has decrccd
-hal not be taken into Industnes p
localities where there are idle men able
10 perform the same work Where tDe
introduction Of woman labor is necessary,
The workers must be paid the wage gwen
10 men for the same work. II will not do
for men returning TO their jobs after the
end of the war 10 find i lowered wage
scale awHiting them.
The introduction Of boys and aged
men i another method Of diiution. ere
also the work must proceed with greatest
care Bows under the age 0t sixteen
vii nof b. permitted. under any cir
es!mstaneee. to work during the school
term. nor, saws the government, should
he prospect Of high wages be permitted
10 lure into industry Youths who or
,iinsrily would have worked for q higher
education. Nhere it is necessary to
employ old men. care should be 'aken not
10 overtax their strength. ard ever,
possible safeguard for their health and
comfort should be provided.
The training and dilutlon service Is
working on the theory that the labor
hortage can be best relieved by training
The workers on hand TO higher efficiency,
and by providing training schools IN the
trades now SO badly overworked. In this
connection Mr. Clayton has divided the
country into twelve districts. with bound
aries identical with those OF the production
districts of the ordnance department, and
superintendents have been named in each
organization of the training department.