Evening journal., 1918-06-15
LABOR TO CO UNDER.
Federal CONTROL
Will be Shifted to War
Work from Non-Essential
Industries
EVERY TOILER IN
u. S. MUST REGISTER

WASHINGTON, June i5.-Registra-
tlon OF all labor in the United State.
and prohibitions against employers en-
gaging any man not holding card IS
sued TO him by the United states En-
ployment Service are contemplated D>
the Department of Labor.
Although restrictions against EN-
ployment Of common labor except
through the Federal employment ser
vice become effective July 10, announce
ment was authorized today that full
control over labor supply IS to be ac-
complished by gradual stages.
state directors Of the Federal en-
ployment service attending the first
national war labor conference here
were told today that the war indus
tries OF the country are "perilOusly
short OF men," and that every govern
ment department and board concerned
with war production and represented
IN the war labor policies board Of the
labor department will back the Fed
eral employment system to the utmost
IN its new task OF supplying labor for
war work.
It was made plain the situation is
such that no tempOrizing can be per-
mitted and that men must be found
for the shipyards, munition factories
and other essential industries at all
costs. Later, when skilled labor re-
cruitlng is taken over. all workers will
have cards and men will be prevented
from migrating from one job TO an
ether.
-. II. .... la ,,ro, fho facf
that the labor shortage problem Will
not be solved unless the government
has the full cooperation OF employers
and employees. IL IS planned that in
industrial communities there shall be
Organized community boards, repre-
senting equally employers and en-
ployes, who shall aid the local officials
bf the federal employment service in
finding common labor, and later skilled
labor in such a manner that the drain
on nOn-essential industries IS equal
ized.
After Louis F. Post, Assistant Sec
retary OF Labor, had told the con-
ferees that "by the time the peace
treaty is signed the Old division be-
tween employers and employees as dis
tinct classes will have passed away
The program Of the methods to be EN-
ployed by the Federal service TO re-
cruit common labor were outlined Dy
Nathan A. Smith, New York lawyer
a founder Of the public service re-
serve. now acting public director
general Of the United states employ
ment service.
between now and July 80 the various
,,,ar industries are TO send to the
limited states employment serNic,
upon notification by the government
departments and boards win Wlioh
they have contracts, estimates OF their
pommon labor requirements. Win tne
total as a basis, the States, ana then
subdivisions in turn, Will be given
.uuotss which they must furnish as
ralled upon. The present force OF local
agents OF the public service reserve
1900 in number, will be Increased 10
P5.OOO, so that every county and town
shin Is covered. With those agents
end the reserve as the finding system,
and branch officers OF the United States
EMPLOYMENT service, which now num-
her more than 100 and cover the coun-
try. will attend TO the distribution OF
the labor. Each State will work out us
own quota.
With the aid Of the community
boards. local agents will play a large
mart in the withdrawal OF workers
Srom non-essentials for war work.
since the determination OF labor prl-
oritv Is largely a local matter. lhis
local Arrangement will be nationally
uuplicated by a labor priorities dlVl-
sion of the war policies board.
While FOR the time being employers,
although prohibited after July 10 from
recruiting, may accept men who apply
NJ their own gates, eventually 1t is
planned that all labor will have to be
obtained through the government ser
vice That stage will he reached grad
nalIv. however. so that the employ
ment service will not be Overburdened.
bach state Is given wide latitude IN
working out its problems, there being
Capitalization Of authority In Wash
ington with decentralization OF eXecu-
tion in the states.
Under rules to be prescribed by the
employment service with the approval
OF the labor policies board there can
be independent labor recruiting OF
common labor for transportation, farm
work and for uon-essentials. No non
essential enterprise, however. will be
permitted TO interfere with the labor
market or the national supplying pro
gram. War manufacturers with fewer
than 100 employees also may continue
Independently for the present.
"The exclusive labor supplying pro-
gram OF the United states employment
service" Mr.. Smith said, "is based
upon four cardinal principles.
War work must nave men at any
cost. It may mean the closing OF non
essential plants, sacrifice and loss by
man after man, but, nevertheless, we
must bear it because we can't win the
war without men, and We must win
the war.
THE burden of non-essentials VIII be
pdualized and so distributed that there
will be a minimum Of hardship. En-
ployers will be asked TO give their full
cooperation and help.
I'VE will stick TO The volunteer prin-
ciple in dealing with individual work
ers.
1--WE must find 1t men for war indus-
tries. The employment service Will
have experts 10 examine the appli-
cants. The sending Of unfit men into
war work is a crime against the coun-