Evening star., 1918-02-16
Seven Chiefs of Divisions Will
Handle Problems Arising on
u, S, War Work.
MILLIONS TO BE SOUGHT
TO CARRY OUT PROGRAM
Workmen Not to Be Conscripted, It
Is Stated on Highest Authority.
Study of Conditions.

\ complete and sweeping reorganiza-
tion of the Department of Labor, with
seven chiefs of divisions who are to be
administrative experts in their respec-
tive lines, acting directly under the Sec
rstary of Labor, is the step decided
upon by the administration to meet the
presenSlabor emerge>T.
| Next week the Secretary of Labor will
present to Congress a budget, running
into the millions, with which to carry
out the program outlined under the
new organization. The original esti-
mates are being scaled down, so that the
total amount to be asked for is not yet
known.
! This reorganization, which will make
of the Labor Department virtually a
labor administration. will not mean the
scrapping of the present organization.
The larger organization will be super
imposed upon the present machinery.
which will be only a fractional part OF
the contemplated administration.
OF the new section chiefs but one,
Otto Eidlitz, who will be charged with
housing and transportation Of workers,
extensive work to be done under him
now is before Congress. Provision Tor
the other divisions will be made in the
budget to be submitted next week
These divisions will be those or ad-
justment, conditions of labor. informa-
ton and education, women in industry.
training and dilution and the United
States employment service.
Working in conjunction with these
will be existing agencies in various bu-
reaus and departments. such as those in
ordnance. quartermaster's omce, the
Navy and the shipping board. But these
will be subordinate. IN case OF conhicts
to the labor administrator. and the par
question In point comes.
Plan Will Meet Criticisms.
Two of the criticisms aimed at the
governments dealing with labor so far
will be met by this new plan. One is
that only labor which is organized
can be reached directly. There were
this country, according to the last
census. and by this time there are
estimated to be 100000. Only about
5000, 900 of these are in the American
lion more are organized Independently,
such as the railway brotherhoods.
But in all, it is estimated, not more
| than 20 per cent of the labor of this
country is organized, as compared
with about SIS per cent of the in
dustrial workers in Great Britain.
| This difference in conditions here and
in England gives an idea of the COM
paratively difficult task the United
States has in mobilizing its labor for
the war.
Furthermore, the Labor Department
has dealt comparatively to a minor ex-
tent with farm labor, which consti-
| tutes one of the biggest problems in
Agriculture's efforts toward increased
production.
Not to Conscript Labor.
It was reiterated today on highest
authority that conscription Of labor is
not contemplated. President Wilson is
understood to have quashed any such
conscription of labor is impracticable.
even were it necessary. In the Ian
guage of a comedian, one can put men
in uniform, send them abroad and in
the trenches leave them to their own
judgment whether it is best to fight.
But putting men in factories by force
does not compel them to work. The
talk of conscription of labor is deemed
| by high administration officials pro-
German propaganda in it's effect, if not
| in intent; as a seeming admission, in
other words. that American labor must
be driven to do it's part in the war.
| Serious as are the shipyard labor
troubles. it is held that they represent
only an infinitesima1 fraction of Amer
ican labor, and there is disposition
among some officials of the Labor De-
partment to blame the contractors for
| troubles with their employees. The
I harr fyy1f fn1
study will not interfere with drastic
steps to be taken to adjust differences
and get these men back to work.
Causing Officials Concern.
The whole question of organized
| labor. and the opposition of many en-
ployers to permitting union labor in
| their shops. is causing officials much
concern. There is no disposition to
make the government stand sponsor
| for unionism. All that has been de-
manded. in the case of various depart
ments, is that union men should not
be excluded from work on government
| contracts; and, on the other hand,
agreements have been made by which
these union men should not permit dis
putes to interfere with prosecution of
war contracts.
! A few manufacturers have come over
to the union viewpoint. because the
men can be reached under present con-
| uition'' anu disputes cdIi pe equltaDly
adjusted. But many others still hold
out against unionization Thus, it is
held, organizations like the l. W. w
have been able to get a foothold.
| There is no organization here among
unskilled labor, in Great Britain
Therefore, the broad questions aside
from the physical problems of housing
transportation and training, which the
new labor ADMINISTRATION has to deal
with are concerned with reaching the
i lunorganized laboring men, instillins
into them a spirit of loyalty, seeking
to adjust their difference with employ.
ers. and looking to the large field OF
unskilled, non-union and farm labor