Evening journal., 1918-01-08
j. 5. TO Mobilize
ARMY OF WORKERS
Densmore is Named Head
of Federal Employment
Service
TO RECRUIT 100000
MEN FOR INDUSTRIES

WASHINGTON, Jan. s-Mobillzation
Of three million workers for agriculture,
shipbullding and war contract plants
was entrusted yesterday TO the United
states employment service by the De-
psrtment Of Labor.
Tremendous expansion Of the service
is in progress in preparation for re-
cruiting men necessary to carry on the
economic work in support Of the mill
tary forces in the war solution Of the
labor shortage problem by this means
IS confidently proposed by the depart
ment aud the cooperating labor or
ganlzations in answer to suggestions
that conscription Of labor is necessary.
One early result is expected to be the
placing Of 100000 mechanics In ship
building plants to aid In hurfying to
completion the merchant marine pro
gram.
John B Densrnore, Of Montana. solicit
tor for the Department Of Labor. will
be national director Of the employment
service by appointment Of Secretary
Wilson. He will have as his assistants
Robert Watson, Of Massachusetts, and
Charles 7 Clayton. OF Maryland. Sam
uel J. Gompers. Of New York. son Of
the labor leader. will succeed Mr.. Wat
son as the departments chief clerk
Organization plans Of the new service
were described in al onlcial statement
which said:
The United States Employment
Service has been divorced from the
Bureau OF immigration under whose
control II has been since its establish
ment, made a separate arm Of the de-
partment and one Of the largest and
most important war-prosecuting or
ganizations Of the national government.
Through the utilization Of existing
and projected Federal State municipal
employment of1ces and the labor sup
plying facilities Of the various state
councils Of defense, the Federal En-
ployment Service will cover the entire
continent with a network OF inter-
related labor exchanges. These Will
recruit and transfer workers from one
section TO another and eliminate the
present chaotic situation Of a surplus
Of workers in one region and a shortage
in another.
"supplementing this labor distribution
work the expanded Federal service will
create a vast reservoir Of labor to meel
the increasing utNldNu1 VI tl4o NaA lyN7
war Industries by means Of its two
auxiliary bodies, the United states Pub.
lie Service Reserve and the United State:
BOYS Working Reserve The creation
Of this labor surplus already is under
way.
The Public Service Reserve is ex.
pected by the Department Of Labor anc
the heads Of organized labor to solve
the shortage problem and to prove
conscription Of labor to be unnecessary
The executive committees OF many o.
the largest international unions are CO
operating with the reserves heads II
the enrolment Of their members an'
their voluntary acceptance Of war Jobs
THE making OF the United Statei
employment service the instrument fo
the handling OF the national labor ques
ton meets with the approval Of botl
employers and employees. Since tn
entrance Of the United States into tn
war the American Federation Of Labor
representing the workers, and the Cham
ber Of Commerce Of the United states
speaking for employers and bushes
generally, both have sought the actiol
announced today"