Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-08-02
Labor Mobilization

On August lst, the supplying OF war
industries with common labor will be
centralized in the [, S. Employment
Service Of the Department OF Labor,
and all independent recruiting OF COM
mon labor by war industry manuiactur-
ers having a payroll OF more than 100
men will be diverted to the U, 5, En-
ployment Service. This is in accordance
with the decision Of the War Labor Pol
icies Board and approved by the Presi-
dent June 18th.
This drastic change in the nations
labor program has been found necessary
in order to protect the employer and
the employed to conserve the labor sup
ply of the communities and to cut down
unnecessary and expensive labor turn
over and to increase the production Of
essentials While non-essential indus
tries will be drawn upon to supply the
necessary labor for war work the with
drawal will be conducted on an equi-
table basis in order to protect the indv-
idual employer as much as possible.
Under the operating methods adopt
ed, the country has been divided into
thirteen federal districts, each district
in charge OF a superintendent of the t..
s. Employment Service The States
within each district are in turn in
charge OF a State Director, who has full
control OF the service within his state
In each community there is being
formed a local community labor board,
consisting of a representative OF en-
ployers and representative of the en-
ployed. This board will have jurisdic-
ton over recruiting and distributing
labor in its locality.
A survey of the labor requirements is
being made, and in order that each
community may be fully protected, rul-
irgs have been issued that no labor
shall be transported out of any COM
munity by the L S. Employment Ser
wee at Washington. Every effort will
be made to discourage any movements
from community to community or state
by any other service,
This labor program has the approval
of all producing Departments of the
Government, through the War Labor
Policies Board.
1t must be understood that farm la
Dor will be protected, for the industrial
program distinctly includes special eff
forts to keep the farmers supplied with
labor:
The requirement that unskilled labor
must be recruited through the sole
agency of the U, S. Employment Ser
vice does not at present apply in the
following cases:
Labor which is not directly or in
directly solicited
2-Labor for the railroads.
3-Farm labor-to be recruited in ac
cordance with existing arrangement
with Department of Agriculture.
labor for non-war.
5-Labor for establishments whose
force does not exceed one
hundred.
When the survey OF labor require
ments has been made and the aggregate
demand for unskilled labor in war work
is found each State will be assigned a
quota, representing the common labor
to be drawn from among men engaged
in non-essential industries in that state.
There State quotas will in turn be dis
tributed among localities Within each i
locality, employers in non-war work, in
Guiding those who are only partially in
war work will be asked to distribute |
he local quotas from time to time
among themselves. Quotas by localities
md individuals are to be accepted as
-eadily as they are for Liberty Loan
md Red Cross campaigns. This plan of
abor is a protection for all COMMUNE
les.
The object is to keep any community
rom being drained of labor, and to use
ocal supply, as far as possible, for To-
al demand The situation, however,
S such that in certain cases some men
nay have to be transported over long
distance.
Leighton P. Slack, Chairman.