Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-05
Migrants and Loaers Are Put to Work by New State Laws

franchises and selling be uds to the pub
lie and keeping the sh ares OF stock.
while the practical men whom he EN-.
ploys put value into the Lfock SO that
somewhere else. but in qilman ana
not on the brake-rods"
A tall young lawyer, John 3. Dens.
more by name. Is at the hera OF me
tional government II shipIWttdinB
corporation needs 1000 men, Mr.. 5Dens-
more is notified, through his chiefh Sec
rotary Wilson. Experts md the nso
Local farmers are being drawn Nneo
the manufacturing industries OF WE"
ginia. in which state there Is q short
age of mechanics. In other parts OF tho
country there is surplusage OF me"
The task of Judge Densmore 10 -
equalize. 80 far a. possible, the supply
Of labor with the needs of regions and
states. -,
It is an immense undertaking. and %
John B. Densmore is weary-eyed VITA
loss Of sleep and hard toll at his desk.
He was a judge. out in Montana. soon
after he was thirty years OF; age, put
solicitor after Woodrow Wilson was
inaugurated President of the United
States. Waterloo, in Iowa. was the
place OF his birth. He was an eiec-
several years and then took a course at
the Indiana Law College while en-:
ployed on the Mine Workers Journal at
Indianapolis.
Putting idle men to work." he said.
sis a local problem. 1t is done under
what is known as the police powers Of
a state. which are rather uncertain. ae
best. Police powers are employed to
safeguard society against theft and
other crimes and to prevent the spread
of disease. Things are sometimes done
under these ambiguous powers that
closely approach the line Of unconst-
nationality. Slavery. for example. 10
nation. Then. who can define idIeneas
SO that the definition will be unfver.
sally satisfactory? o., -.
"a manufacturer engaged in turning
or ship works for six months and then
goes to Palm Beach for rest. He must
have rest. he says. or he will break
down mentally and physically. He re-
mains at Palm Beach for six weeka
No one charges him with being idle.
"Calkers. employed in building shipa.
are now paid from s12 to SIS a day. a
calker works until Friday night and
at home. Can he be accused OF idle.
ness? Manufacturers are making
money. Workers are making money.
Both classes believe that they should
pause at intervals in their labors. Il
one is Stacker. what would you cali
the other?
after you have found the difference
between one day of in a week and six
weeks of in six months you can locate
the idle man. il there is an idle man in
the case. The manufacturer feels that
he can afford a vacation at Palm Beach.
The calker feels. no matter what others
think. that he can afford a vacation at
home and that feeling governs his con.
duct.
THE worker. you must understand,
desires to plan his own life. If he must
listen to those who think that they
know what is best for him then he insists
they must listen to him when he out.
lines what. in his opinion. is best for
them"
State laws compelling idle men to be
employed will doubtless be tested in
the courts as to their legality. Many
counties have required residents to
work for day or two each year on. the
public roads. The work is either done
by the resident himself or by his hired
substitute. -
% citizens everywhere are obliged, when
required. to serve as jurors and to per.
form military duty. The nation IL
drafting soldiers. Mr.. Richie and DR..
Goodnow believe that the law Of Mari.
land is strictly constitutional. =.
Copyright. 1918. BY James B. Moriow.A 4
IL