The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-02-09
EMPHASIZES THE
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Labor Association Conlmends
Concentration Of Labor ActiVi-
ties Under Secretary

NEW YORK, Feb. 7-That the
present chaos in the labor market
is due not to socalled labor shortage
but to the lack of an adequate sys-
tenn for distributing the availible' la
Dor supply to meet the need of rapid
and sustained production of war ma
terials, is the declaration made in the
third special bulletin on Labor Laws
in War Time" just issued by the AM
erican Association for LABOR Legisla-
ton.
"In some industries there is
dearth of labor; in others an over
supply" the bulletin states. "The war
work of the government is being SER
iously hampered because a compre-
hensive system of labor distribution
has been lacking in this country
Uurges Robinson-Keating Bill
President Wilson's reorganization
Of all labor placing activities Of the
government into single bureau un-
der the secretary of labor is termed
"far-reaching emergency action
which points the way to the legisla-
ton that is necessary to put such
service on an adequate permanent
basis" and passage of the Robinson
Heating bill, now before congress, is
urged to extend and unity all labor
exchange work of the government
and provide '"the machinery and
funds not only to mobilize our labor
population for war strength, but also
to make possible the reabsorption of
the fighting men back into industry
with intelligent vocational guidance
and without confusion, as we'll as in
suring the continued sterilization of
the labor supply to meet tho growing
industrial requirements of the fut-
ure." 'rF t-""~'E @.''''' '''>'S ~'.s:,''
In such unified Federal employ
ment service, according to the associ-
step in solving the ever-recurring
problem of employment.
Maternity Insurance Needed
Maternity insurance, such as our
allies have adopted for the protec-
tion of working mothers and their
babies against avoidable suffering
and impaired strength, is declared to
be a need accentuated by the en-
trance. of large army of women into
both heavy and light occupations to
replace men serving in the fighting
forces.
MANY occupations hitherto re-
garded in this country as exclusively
mems work." the bulletin states, have
been thrown open to women workers
by many employers in this emergen-
cy. They are in railroad office, shop,
and track work, in munitions factor
les in elevator and messenger service,
in farming, in street car operations,
in manufacturing establishments fill
ands,s thus engaged, will become
mothers. All are potential mothers
The prohibition of the employment of
women Immediately before or after
childbirth, now being urged by the
committee on women. in industry of
the Council Of National Defense to
protect our human resources, will not
serve it's full purpose unless accom-
panied by maternity benefits to tide
over the loss of earnings at the time
when most needed"
The orders of the chief of ordnance
and the quartermaster general call
ing flor the observance of protective
standards for labor in war industries
are commended in the bulletin as
among the most enlightened official
human documents. ever issued by any
government either in ! war or in
peace and the Soldiers and Sailors
Insurance act as "one of the most
significant OF all measures of social
insurance" .--