Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-17
War and Labor
Keeping Workers Satisfied
BY Frederic ]. Hnskin

instances where the turnover of labor
at war plants has SCARED TO 100 per cent
n week and maintained that figure mean
ing weekly change IN the entire working
force of the plant, for three or four weeks
at time
This turnover, as Secretary of Labor
Wilson has pointed out. is in reality the
ndividualistic strike H. is the strike
Of the individual dissatisfied with work
ing and living conditions at war plant
where he is engaged and unwilling or
unable to continue steadily AT work while
those unsatisfactory conditions confront
him.
For this reason the new Working
Conditions Service of the Department
Of Labor il destined 10 prove one OF the
most powerful Of Federal agencies for
preserving peace and satisfaction among
industrial war workers II Is new
departure Never before the war had
the federal government taken this move
into a field generally considered one oi
state Jurisdiction
STATE TASDARD.
The laws of the several states pr0vid,
certain standards for working conditions
particularly with regard to safety ap
plances lighting and ventilation facilities
The state laws are bv no means uniform,
however, and have IN several Instances
proved inadequate IN view Of the hurried
development of war plants. The instl-
tuition of national standards oi working
conditions adequate to insure comfort
and happiness for war workers ~ one oi
the most important steps the Depart
nent of Labor has taken 10 guard against
discomfort among the workers, causing
large labor turnover and consequent
| waste and delay IN war production
Although the art creating the Depart
ment of Labor provides that its purpose
shall bc, among other things, Ito improve
the working conditions Of the wage earncrs
Of the United States, II - doubtful
whether this step could have been put
through under the pre-war conditions
when industry was run without any
other interest than private gain But
now, with the greater part Of industry
concentrated on war production, and all
war production being carried out on
government contracts, the Department
Of Labor can and is establishing definite
policies on this subject seeing that UNI
form insertions are made IN all contracts
and thus concerning the adoption of
such national standards as investigation
and experience prove best.
The attitude of the Administration
IL very firm on the subject Of decent
working conditions, and should national
legislation become necessary to enforce
its aims. it. IS no secret that any plan
proposed bv the Department Of Labor
Kill have the support Of the various
war production divisions Of the govern
ment There IS firm determination that
the greed of powerful individuals shall
not be permitted to run counter 70 the
governments policy Of maximum var
! supplies produced by contented worker
SERVICE DUTIES.
Specifically the duties Of the Working
Conditions Service are as follows
To examine into the matter of wprkn
conditions In the var industries, 70 de-
ternine the uniform standards which
should be maintained, TO adopt rules
efnbodying such standards, 70 determine
the best means for securing the adoption
and maintenance Of such standards and
to cooperate with the State authorities
for the above purposes. This work is
mainly carried on through the agents
| Of the Investigation and Inspection
/ service Of the Department OF Labor,
| which will be described later
| Lessons from English experience have
| been thoroughly absorbed BY the De
| partment Of Labor IN planning the work
/ ing conditions servIce. In England, 10
| the early stages of the war, no super
/ vlSorv work was undertaken as 10 hours
| Of labor or health precautions. Faced
| with crucial need for war supplies, the
! British government permitted employers
| to work men and women alike l2 hours 3
| day seven davS a week But IN the
! summer ci 1915 it became apparent that
, production suffered rather than gained
! from such policy Extensive investIga-
,ons were begun bv the ministry of
munitions. followed by me establish
ment OF supervision which has served as a
model Tor our own government IN work
ing out lis similar problems.
The records Of the Department of
Labor show that il is no mere sentimental
ISM which has prompted this far-reachIng
step OF government supervision. The
numerous fatalities in the war plants.
needless deaths from the unguarded use Of
industrial poSons IN the manufacture Of
explosives. and the frequency OF sweat
ing on government contracts, aS dis
closed IN the army cloth contract reyela-
tionS. would each alone be Justification
for the step
COLLECTING THE DATA.
As mentioned above II viii DC the
nVeStIgatIon and inspection service OF
the Department Of Labor which will he
charged with the duty of collecting the
data necessary for national supervision Of
the workers interest Plans are that
this service shall provide the field forces
also for al the other divisions of the De
partInent Of Labor For this purpose the
various examiners, investigators and IN
spectors hitherto maintained by the
various war production branches Of he
government are now being transferred 70
the Investigation and inspection service.
In addition, "A large number of expert
labor inspectors will be added 70 the
personnel of this division
Another new division OF The Depart
ment of Labor which Is becoming more
prominent every day the War continues lS
the women IN industry service Ap-
proximately three and half million
women are now employed IN war industry
alone in Great Britain In this country q
quarter of a million men a month arc
being withdrawn from cIUl occupations
10 enter the army and recourse 10 the
labor of women to a degree approaching
what Is beng done in England Will soon
become necessary.
II Is not the intention Of the Depart
ment of Labor To establish two different
policies for the protection OF men and
women in industrial occupations. Thus
the problems of women 5 employment
are being handled with equal attention