Bisbee daily review., 1918-12-07
ASHURST REVIEWS WORK

As examiner for the United State. employment service for the Bisbee Douglas district, I wish to say some thing through the press in reference to the labor problem.
 During the war we were busy re cruiting laborers for the different war projects. Men were recruited for the ship yards at Astoria and Portland Ore; the United States housing cor. pOration at Norfolk, the ammunition plants at Nashville, Tenn, and Nitro Va. It was strenuous work and well did you all cooperate. This district did it's duty and the different plants got the men needed and as the ex- aminer for this district 1 wish to thank all who helped
 Now that the war is over the one great object on the minds of us all is that of reconstruction and the matter of labor is no small item in that con- nection.
 With many of the plants which were doing war work shut down or laying off men and with the boys returning from the front we are going to have a surplus of labor unless we look we'll into the matter and speed up on all industries and construction and i'm provement.
 l have been asked by the depart ment of labor to use this office to its fullest capacity to help the problem 1 can do much but I will need your very generous help and support. i have no fear but that l will get it in i. the fullest degree but 1 wish to make some suggestions as to how we can work together and do this promptly, efficiently and in such a spirit as will make the boys proud of our echIeve- ments.
 | It goes as a self-evident proposition that the boys who served their coun- | try in the great struggle should be given the positions back again when they return which they formerly held. | Those who had no positions should be given consideration over others and any plant or employe who refuses to restore returned soldier to his form CT position should be reported
 It certainly will not set well with them if they do not find immediate work at something at which they can make a decent living.
 
 There are many ways in which this great work can be accomplished and I wish to say that I am at your service and feel sure much can be done which person not actively interested in the problem would have thought i'm possible.
 The county board of supervisors, the city councils, the chambers of com merce, the community labor boards, To- cal council of defense, labor unions, contractors and private citizens as well as managers of all manufacturing plants should see to it that this one item is the main consideration.
 All industries should speed up and plan in what way more help can be employed. The county supervisors and city councils should do all possible improvement and new construction in the way of repairing and paving streets and roads and constructing new ones where it may appear to be needed.
 In this connection it is with grati- tude that l note the great amount of work that is being done on the roads of Cochise county. Douglas is now some valuable street paving and Bis bee is planning to do some paving on large scale This is generous and is going to very materially help mat ters.
 l wish to say, however. that the different boards and organizations mentioned above should resolve them selves into units to work especially on the one main object, that of find ing employment for the boys return ing home.
 l hope to meet with every one of these bodies and explain the govern ments plan and wishes in the matter and receive from them any sugges- tions or plans they may have to offer
 Any individual. corporation, or or ganization which has the available funds and which foresee in the future any work that may be needed should plan to do that work now.
 Have you been contemplating the matter of building a new house, store or office building or repairing the | old one, now is the time to do it. ! Have you been thinking of increasing l the output of your manufacturing 1 plant? Now, if ever, is the time to | do it. Have you been planning to | build some new fence, to clear more | land. to dig a well. to construct stock | watering places, to in any way i'm | prove your farm, ranch or stock farm? Do it now. and help the soldier boy.
 Your house may need a fresh coat of paint, or new roof. That 40-acre | tract of land which has long lain idle | may need clearing and leveling so as to make better and richer farm. | For the sake of the Boy who left his | home and his business, get busy and | raise the wind and show him good | times when he gets back. i
 All this may seem puerile, but if l we all pull and pull together. we will l find that the desired results have | been achieved. Business will take on | .l. T I. N-