The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-09-05
MUST HAVE USEFUL JOBS
STATE ADVISORY BOARD TO EN-
PLOYMENT SEVICE MEETS.
War Industries Should Go Ahead Re-
gardless Of Inconvience to
Non.Essential Work.

Columbia, Aug. 30.-Manifesting a
quiet determination to carry into ef-
feet all rulings of the. war industries
board which look to an increase in
the producing power of the nation,
the State Advisory Board of the Unit
ed States employment service held
an important meeting yesterday
morning in the Loan and Exchange
bank building.
The meeting was for the purpose
Of looking into the labor situation;
for trying to get a line on essential
and nonessential enterprises; for
planning some method by which men
who at present are engaged in
non-essentials may be induced to give
up jobs which are not vitality i'm
portant in war times and take jobs
where their country needs them and
where they can do some work for
victory.
The soft drink dealers and manu-
facturers, the bell hops in hotels who
thrive on tips, the transfer men, the
pool room loafers, the one horse fruit
stands, the idlers around depots and
the negro who wrote the Employment
Service that he would do government
work for $50 per week all came in for
consideration.
Again and again it was brought out
that when the matter of war work is
properly presented, when men en-.
gagged in non productive work are
brought to see the real need of their
services by the government, when
loyalty to country and the boys at
the front is stressed, the response is
immediate and gratifying. Some mel
will have to be forced into war work,
but a patriotic appeal in many cases
has the desired effect according to
Information brought before the
beard.
Governor Manning, who was pres
ent by invitation, sized up the view
taken by the Advisory Board pretty
accurately when he said"We must lay
aside selfish consideration and per-
sonal gain, and put our brains into
winning this war and to do it, work
is necessary
Another gentleman present, who
was evidently a thorough convert to
the "work or fight" plan of the gov
ernment, said linen engaged in non-es-
sential work such as selling soft
drinks or driving transfers ought to
be told plainly that they could either
get out Of their present work and get
into something that has to do with
the winning of the war or else repor,
to their local board.
Employment Cards.
The use of employment cards, by
which men are required to- hold a
card signed by their employer show
ing the nature of the work being
done and the number of days worked,
was considered when the question of
getting rid of idlers was being con-
sidered. The Greenville ordinance
was referred to and the disadvantages
of the card system considered.
Mr.. Montgomery, of Spartanburg,
who has the knowledge that comes
from long experience in dealing with
labor, said that the mills were pro-
ducing Is to 80 per cent. of normal
production. Some mills are actually
doing war work for the government
such as making duck while others
are making cloth necessary to clothe
the world.
He said some mills were showing
tendency to drift away from war
work owing to the delays and red
tape connected with government con-
tracts.
Essentials and Non-Eessentials.
The vague line between essential
and non-essential work received con-
sideration and an effort to make up a
list of industries that are essential
and another list of industries that
are not essential in war times was
made, but it was decided that the
war industries board in Washington
would be considered in regard to the
matter.
The cottonseed oil mills over the
State which soon will be in operation
will require about 1900 men to run
them. Floating labor will supply
about 500 men and the others will
have to be secured from non-essential
industries.
Many other industries that are es-
sential are short handed, and men
must be recruited.
The enormous wastage of man
mower in the State was frequently re-