The Sentinel=record., 1918-06-18
PRESIDENT DISCOUUAGES
 COMPETITION FOR LABOR
POINTS OUT HOW MEN TRAVEL DISTANCES WHEN THEY COULD BE EMPLOYED AT
 HOME.

Washington, June 17.-All employ CTS engaged in war work were urged in a statement by President Wilson tonight to refrain after August 1 from recruiting unskilled labor in any manner except through the United organized by the department of labor The labor forces were called upon by the president Ito respond Loyalty as heretofore to any calls issued by this agency for voluntary enlistment in essential industry
 The statement by the president was accompanied by a letter written June 15 by Secretary of Labor Will son calling attention to the forming of the employment service, pointing out the necessity for such a labor dis tributing body and detailing it's du- ties.
 "For more than a year." the presi- dents statement said, "it has been our pride that our armies and navies cnly, but our whole people is en- gagged in righteous war. We have said repeatedly that industry plays an essential and honoronle roll in this great struggle as do our mili- tary armaments
 We all recognize the truth of this, but we must also see it's necessary application-nam that industry, doing a vital task for the nation must receive the support and assistance of the nation We must recognize that it is a natural demand almost right of anyone serving his country whether employer or employe, to know his service being used in the most effective manner possible In the case of labor this wholesome de- sire has been not a little thwarted owing to the changed conditions war has created in the labor market,
 There has been much confusion as 10 essential products. There has been ignorance of conditions-men have gone hundreds of miles in search of job and wages which they might have found at their doors Employ CTS holding government contracts of the highest importance have com peted for workers with holders of similar contracts and even with the government itself and have conduct cd expensive campaigns for recruit ing labor in sections where the sup ply of labor was already exhausted California draws it's unskilled labor from as far east as Buffalo. and New York from as far west as the Mis- sissippi Thus labor has been in duced to move fruitlessly from one place 10 another congesting the rail- ways and losing both time and money
 Such a condition is unfair alike to employer and employe, but most of all to the nation itself. whose exist ence is threatened by any decrease in it's productive power It is ob- vious that this situation can be clari- lied and capitalized by a central agency-the United States employ ment service of the department of labor. with the council of war labor policies board as the voice of an the industrial agencies of the govern ment Such a central agency must have sole direction of all recruiting of civilian workers in war work; and in taking over this great responsi- bility must at the same time have power to assure essential industry an adequate supply of labor, even to the extent of withdrawing workers from non essential production. It must also protect labor from insincere and thoughtless appeals made to it under the plea of patriotism and assure it that when 1t is asked to volunteer in to some priority industry the need is real.
 "Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States of America soiemnly urge all employers engaged in wark work to refrain after August 1, 1918, from recruiting un- skilled lator in any manner except through this central agency | urge labor to respond as Loyalty as here tofore to any calls issued by this agency for voluntary enlistment in industry And ask both alike to re- member that no sacrifice will have been in vain fl we are able to prove beyond all question that the highest and best form of effort is the spon- taneous cooperation of a free peo pie"