Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-17
THE SOLDIER AND his JOB

We are all agreed that when the soldier Is discharg-
ed from service he must have a job. The thought of
merely turning loose the millions of men who have been
wearing the uniform Of the nation during these past war
months. and assuming no further responsibility for them
would be intolerable. No one entertains such a thought.
1t is agreed that all these men must be assured Of work
If the government itself has to be their employer.
So completely is this obligation accepted that it is
scarcely discussed. The discussion is confined TO ways
and means for putting the accepted principle into effect.
The president of the United States has emphasized the
importance of the principle. and has urged legislation to
give it effect. The secretary Of the interior has prepared
plans for gigantic reclamation projects which will require
the labor of many hundreds Of thousands Of men before
they are completed, and these plans are generally approx
ed. The building of roads which shall be serviceable un-
der all weather conditions has occupied the attention OF
many, and representative bodies of business men all over
the country have declared themselves in favor of the per-
Torrance of this work under government auspices, so
that part of the labor of the returning soldiers may be alb
sorbed in it. And so it goes.
If all our soldiers were to be brought home immedi-
atey, the population Of the country would not be materi-
ally greater than it was when the war started. There has
been some increase, of course, but the natural increase
Of less than two years would have no great influence on
the labor situation. The men who are returning are the
same men who went away, plus some months of age and
some experience. Before the war they were here, dis
tributed throughout the country. Numerically our pre-
war conditions, therefore, are merely to be approximately
restored. What has happened that, with our population
substantially unchanged, we are devoting so much attenJ
ton to the matter of employment, which, in former years,
we have allowed to take care Of itself?
In the first place. while there is every reason to be-
lieve that all our industries will presently be working to
the limit of their capacity to meet the demand which re-
construction conditions will impose on them, the change
from war to peace cannot be made in a day, and during
the period of re~adjustment there will necessarily be some
slack time.
In the second place, there is a realization that in
common justice the nation cannot permit any Of those
to civil life without provision being made for their en-
ploynent in occupations in which they may become pro-
ductive and constructive citizens.
Still further, and this is by no means the least i'm.
portant consideration, we are developing the conception
that it is injurious to the state that any of its citizens who
are able and willing to work should be unable to find
work to do, and a living wage for that work.
The readjustment period and the need Of returned
soldiers for employment will be temporary. But if we ac-
cept the principle that it is the business of the state to
provide employment for. its citizens when they would
otherwise be employed. we have a permanent condition
it appears, is the direction in which we are travelling.