Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-08-01
LABOR BOARD TO Be
ESTABLISHED HERE

On or about August /, the United
States Department of Labor is pre-
pairing to supply the war Industries
with labor to centralize the U. s. en-
ployment service. The following let
ter to Mayor ]. F. Harrison explains
the proposition, which is a most i'm
portant one:
U. S. Employment Service.
Department Of Labor, July %, 1918.
]. F. Harrison, Mayor.
Mexico, Mo.
Dear sir:
We beg to direct your attention to
the plans of the U. S. Employment
Service, and to the great effect which
this program will have upon the in
dustrial life of the Nation.
On August 1, the supplying Of war
industries with common labor will be
centralized in the U. s. Employment
Service of the Department Of Labor,
and all independent recruiting OF
common labor by manufacturers hav-
ing a payroll of more than 100 will be
diverted to the U. S. Employment
Service. This is in accordance with
the decision of the War Labor Policies
Board and approved by the President
on June II. 1.-THE War Labor Policies
Board is composed of representatives
of the War, Navy, and Agriculture
Departments, the Shipping Board ant
the Emergency Fleet Corporation, tbs
War Industries Board, and the Food
Fuel, and Railroad Administrations
Its chairman is Felix Frankfurter, As
sistant to the Secretary Of Labor.)
The above action was found neces
sary to overcome a perilous shortag'
of unskilled labor in war industries
This shortage was aggravated by al
. almost universal practice Of labo
q stealing and poaching.
a While the restrictions against tn
y private employment of labor appl
' only to COMMON labor at the preser
q time, these restrictions will, as 500
as possible, be extended to includ
skilled labor. In the meantime, re
~ cruiting of skilled labor for war pr'
"a duction will be subject to federal res
IS ulations now being prepared.
This drastic change in the Nation
Il labor program has been found ne
" essary in order to protect the employ
and the employed, to conserve Il
labor supply Of the communities al
cut down unnecessary and expensi'
r labor turnover (which, in some ca
y es, is as high as 1000 a week., and
ID increase the production Of essentials
n While non-essential industries W
d be drawn upon to supply the necessa
. labor for war work, the withdraw
Y. will be conducted on an equitable be
is in order to protect the individr
employer as much as possible.
he Under the operating methods adol
Id ed, the country has been divided II
in thirteen federal districts, each distr
w, in charge of a superintendent Of !
,er u. S. Employment Service. The Sta'
within each district are in turn
charge of a State Director, who !
full control of the service within
az State.
m j eoch community there is bel
m formed a local community lat
board, consisting Of a representa-
on of the U. S. Employment Service
representative of employers and a r.
In representative of employers 9
Try a representative of the e
pa ployed. This board will have jul
ON diction over recruiting and distrib
ng ing labor in its locality.
A survey of the labor requireme
= is being made, and in order that ei
community by the U. s.. Employm
'e' rulings have been issued that no
Dor shall be transported out of
county by the U. s. Employm
~ Service without the approval OF
State Director; nor shall any labor
removed by the Service from
state TO another without the apprc
of the U. S.. Employment Service
Washington. Every effort will
made to discourage any movemt
from community to community
state to state by any other servic
This labor program has the app
al Of all producing Departments Of
OF Government, through the War Ii
mo Policies Board.
bur- 1t must be understood that farm
rom Dor will be protected, for the indust
. II program distinctly includes special
af- forts to keep the farmer supplied
am labor.
The requirement that unskilled
y 10 bCr will be protected, for the in
trial program distinctly includes
cial efforts to keep the farmer supl
Mr.. with labor.
who 1. Labor which is not direct!
ears indirectly solicited.
has 2. Labor for the railroads.
xico 8. Farm labor-to be recruite
lany accordance with existing arrangei
that with Department Of Agriculture.
this A.. Labor for non-war work.
8. Labor for establishments W
maximum force does not exceed
was hundred.
day. When the survey Of labor req