The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-13
LABOR DEPARTMENTS HEAD WOULD PLACE
MANY RETURNED SOLDIERS ON HOMESTEADS

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-Coloniza-
ton by returned soldiers. and sailors of
large tracts Of! land under the direction
and with the. aid of'thc federal govern
ment is recommended as a solution of
ltany of the. labor problems arising
from rehabilitation by Secretary of
Labor Wilson In his annual report, made
public to-day. The government should,
in the opinion Of Mr.. Wilson. establish
and equip, individual farms, which
WOULD be linked Into community groups.
The war has dcmonstrat the pa
triotism and loyalty Of American labor,
the report says. aud in the continuance
Of tho: spirit Of sacrifice" on the part
Of employer and empioye shown during
the war. Secretary Wilson believes Ties
the hope for the further attainment and
development during the days of peace Of
that democracy for which we have
taken up arms" ..
The right Of collective bargaining,
Ions recognized by the department OF
labor, Secretary Wilson declares, has
been more widely established by reason
of the war. He adds that 'if the prln-
ciples upon which that agreement was
founded can endure the stress of war. II
is fair to suppose that even greater sue
ccSs will attend their application during
the calmer periods of peace"
To solve the labor problems arising
from rcconst ru ction. Mr.. Wilson recon-
mends the continuation Of the labor ad-
justment agency Of the National War
Labor Board. Agreements have. been
effected between labor and employers
through this agency. the report says, by
which certain principles have been
placed above further dispute.
Agricultural areas should be pur-
chased by the federal government and
added to the public domain TO provide
land for the carrying out Of the proposed
colonization program for returned MEM
bers of the military forces. the report
asserts. 1t Is proposed that adminis-
tration Of the program be directed by
q board consisting Of the heads Of the
agriculture. interior and labor depart
ments.
Legislation needed to carry out the
plan, Secretary Wilson believes. should
include these provisions:
The possibility OF commercialIzed
speculation must be eliminated.
Colonists must be given access not
only TO land. but to farms; not to the
bare soil. but to fully equipped agricul-
turaI plants ready to operate.
l., The farms themselves must bc welded
together into genuine communities. by
provision for roads, schools and mar
kcts, under the general supervision OF
the federal government.
Arrangements have been completed.
says tho report to care for demobilized
men who do not care to take UP farm
work. so far as possible. through the
United States employment service. a
branch OF the department.! On this
point the secretary says:
In presenting these recommendations
at this time, regard it unnecessary to
point out further possibilities. In. set
ting forth the necessity for land settle
ment am not unmlndful Of the vast
numbers who must again find their
places in our complex industrial oreani-
cation. 1t Is too carly at present TO
forecast accurately the industrial or
ganization or needs of our nation after
the war. All the properly adapted IA
cilities Of the department of labor arc
at present engaged in the study OF those
problems of reconstruction peculiar to
manufacturing and secondary industry:
and from time to time l shall have
recommendations and conclusions to pre-
sent based upon such studies"
Tho report reviews the expansion Of
the department of labor from an organ
ization Of four bureaus to.one of thlr-
teen bureaus and two boards. In re-
Spouse. to demands arising out of the
war. During the fiscal year which the