The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-01
US. TAKES OYER
CONTROL OF LABOR
Secretary Wilson Explains
Here Why Step Effective
To-day Was Necessary.
ENDS NEEDLESS SHIFTING
Affects Unskilled Workmen
for War Industries-Later
Will Include Skilled Men.


all the forces OF the country into sin
gle great organisation for the prosecu-
ton Of the war. the Government to-day
will assume control OF the supply Of
ordinary labor for war industries, Later
It will extend its control to skilled labor
and maintain the direction Of both for
the term OF the war
IT was In order that the employers
and workmen OF the country may un-
derstand the Governments position and
go extend 1t their support. that Secre-
tary Wilson Of the Department OF Labor
outlined the reasons for the step that
has been taken to forty New York edi-
tors and publishers who were invited to
meet him yesterday.
He met them at luncheon In Del
monico's as the guests OF Grosvenor
Clarkson. secretary OF the Council Of
National Defence, and explained that
no had come especially from Washing
ton to address them. in order that they
In their turn. might aid the Govern
ment in dealing with the present war
labor situation by informing their read
ers OF Its underlying facts and necessi-
ties.
Labor Poaching Prevalent.
Mr.. Wilson went exhaustively into
the reasons why the Government has
found It necessary to place the supply
Ing OF labor to war industries under the
jurisdiction OF the Employment Service
Bureau Of the Department Of Labor
He explained that Mt the entrance or
the United States into the war the great
dihiculty in dealing with workmen had
been to overcome their false notion that
all wars were Of capltalistic origin and
now that after the United States had
been at war a year the maia difficulty
lay In systems OF labor stealing and
poachins bagotten by shortage Of la
Dor. and in migratory habits which hai
been contracted by the workmen them
selves.
When II first became apparent that
we must send an army abroad" said
Mr.. Wilson. land II was estimated that
for every soldier In the field the coun-
try must have the services Of from six
to ten men to supply him with wars
implements and necessities. our indus
tries were nearly all young industries,
filled with the pioneer spirit and there
fore difficult to coordinate.
"out of about 100000 men ard
women engaged in industry in the United
occupations which. might be made to
lend themselves to war work. and Of
this available labor only about 5000, 900
were organized in unions"
But with these organized workmen
difficulty began at once. They had been
carefully exploited by the enemy. acting
through the organization known as the
Industrial Workers Of the World, and
had been filled with the doctrine that all
war was capitalistic In origin. They
have been told that the same forces OF
capital which had started this war could
terminate It at will.
Campai ign OF Education Necessary.
"rt became necessary for the Govern
ment by patient campaign Of educa ton
TO make 1t clear to them wherein their
beliefs were unsound This was especially
difficult in the West and middle West.
where the doctrines OF socialism had
been sown carefully by propagandias
and where the war seemed a remote
thing TO the people.
Then by the time our own war pro-
gramme was in full swing we found
ourselves dealing with the second DIM
Guilty. Competition for workmen had be-
come sharp and there was little pro-
vision for making skilled men out of un
skilled men.
THE Government found itself In need
OF men and on going out to get them
found itself in competition with private
industry, which was equally hard
pressed. Men who had never drawn
more than common laborer's wages
found themselves at a premium in the
market. and began to ask and receive
extortionate prices, and to rove from
place to place seeking still higher prices.
Everywhere industry was hampered
by what Is known as the turnover, or
the constant shifting of itinerant labor
In some cases the loss in efficiency run
ming as high as 100 per cent This is
what Is perhaps best described as the
evil of the individualistic strike-the
strike by the man, thousands of him in
different yards and factories all over the
country. who Is forever throwing down
bis tools and wandering away on the
slightest rumor of higher wages else.
where. who by his habit of rowing never
masters the details OF any trade and
who In the mass accounts for a greater
loss than all the organized strikes and
walkouts in the land,
at is to remedy and control this ayi
that Congress has stepped In and dele
gated wise powers to the President.
Under the authority OF the President and
in accordance with the decision Of the
War Labor Policies Board, there will be
inagurated tomorrow a GENERALIZATION In
the Employment Service Bureau of the
Department of Labor OF the supplying OF
all war industries with ordinary labor
At the same time all recruiting of COM
mon labor by manufacturers having a
payroll of more than 100 men also will
be diverted to the United States En-
ployment Bureau. This Is as a begin
ming. Ultimately and until the war is
won. the control and recruiting Of skilled
labor will be subject to Federal regula-
ton also"
Thirteen Districts Established.
BY Mr.. Wilson and John Il. Dens-
more, Director General OF the United
States Employment Service. who spoke
after Mr.. Wilson had concluded, II was
explained that under the operating
methods which have been adopted the
country has been divided into thlr-
teen districts. each district In charge
of n Federal superintendent, who Is as
sisted by State directors. one for each
State in his district, assisted in turn in
each community by an advisory board
containing two chosen representatives OF
labor.
All departments OF the Government
having contracts with manufacturers
have sent out questionnaires which will
make possible a survey OF total require
ments for war work. and the labor re-
quirement will be apport!oned to various
States on basis of population. Com
munity boards Will have the right to ask
employers OF non-war work TO give up
labor 10 meet needed requirements for
war purposes.
In order to protect each community
orders have been issued that no labor