Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-10
FIGHT OR WORK." q"
NOTICE TO oilers
Federal State Employ
ment Bureau Head Sug-
gests Drastic Measures
5000 LABORERS NEEDED

There are enough idlcrs in Philadcl.
,Aa TO 1ll the depleted ranks of labor ir
M vicinity, according to Milton p
townsend, superintendent Of the Fed,
val State Employment Bureau, 1871
Arrh street, who today proposed drastic
measures to round them UP and make
nsm "either fight or work.
There is an immediate need Tor about
GOO lsborer.L' said Mr.. Townsend.
and there is easily this number loahng
n the poolrooms, saloons and other
paccs in Philadelphia, who could sol, c
DC labor problem as it pertains 20 Phil
,iephia. These men should, and should
M made to, either fight or work for
ne United states
Z understand" he continued, "that
President Wilson is in favor Of lcgiy.
hton requiring physically tit men to
Ecrk, as has been done in some Com
nonwealths ! am heartily in favor Of
such move, and hope the day will come
Uon when loaflnE will be an orrcnso
punishable by law. These slacl,crs con-
sst not 50 much Of men in the draft age
bh are mostly under twcntyuuc. aue
ktveen thtrty-onc and fortN-nye. 4
law that will draft into the army eli.
rbes who refuse to work WOuld moi
over the situation. 1t should be made
b Include those ranging in age from
sIghteen to forty.fvc.'
Superintendent Townsend. i'm sncal,i,,,.
" the labor conditions at present said
that the Slackers are chiefly tho nm
BILLED laboriug element. The scarcity
q skilled mechanics, he said. is a gculina
sne as trained workers are very scarce
and hard tG get
NL Townsend thinks that evidence o-
ne governments inclination to dr,r r.
hoor and stop loafng is indicated in tho
radual taking over by tho United St,,cc
ue various State free employment
.gsncles, The employment of labor
being centralized, and soon viii he
Hperised entirely by a central o1,ro
eDcer the wing Of the Government 7,his
wy be d good thing for the I-ritod
eales and both the employers and Tho
NJ. Townsend told the ron,r,,u
~ W I,SSiNG PUBLIC LEDGER a few op
~ experiences as head of zone M os
~ uoVernment'State employment o..
~ Fnieh takes in Delaware as woII ~.
ssansytVania "The other day" ho
~ 1 walked into a restaurart -
IN, y. number Of men playing cards 7
sl'eu AL OF them work AT IA CONF, 49,
w, ana they refused the iohg 6,'i,.
s& o. the number showed anv i,,on,yt ,y
s,aa ' anu % nc merely inquired about tbe
~ oIluitlons at tho out-of-to,,,o
'ta s,.i ana whether transportation wHr,%
htAst las. lass oil Slackcrs always ypcaI,s
~at manner Such men do NOT -, -.
4. ,se ~. "nst benefit viii be- dori,,1 ~!
United States from tbai,. .or,'i ,Uu ny
s.,v inv '' 1ne .r dollar and the soft snan
Il s,oa June, " They should he put to yori,
VIC Ut placed in the trenches "
,nnlo,'.,. my aeII.ity of the Government in tbo
'Sguieht ,ss..s,u line is greatly bcnngoiai
N, ,,s, 10 Townsend. lie said ,hat
,.,h ',Ss o,S. OF employers bidding arainst s
,v,y v UIaer for labor are bcing dono
\ IsAos s'.n oy the Governments @oncomr re
n s,.ns va employment a gradual scttirn
ra '@Isara pan wages is coming abont hs
M euently the scarcity of Iahor bns m
nooDa DIs, severe blow to many Of ths r,'I NO
An M ys 1 mere and nearby NOT orI,. ,
ash o o,bsr Ssr'oos t concerns bidding agsinsr @ .
hr,ns" OSisr Tor laborers' services he
ans Dlsn, y INHERENT departments Of % tSe |
,a,r y plA1t NJ. are bidding against - escS ,cS .
M, soDuII., d me scramble to get out ord
8, SsISlI SISppnes for the United State a.
Ssn ~,n roir, plant in Eddystono this bas
1 Al sung oas, on for some time accoTdiHs T i,Ss
a,t thew S''v'sl .. Of the plant, who ststn5
alty n .. were having cousidcrabIe %iGi
M "a occurring ieeg men, and it was noncn
b work increase ans wages to get the mon
y,rmsn, ',o y. 10 take men from one Jn
vat seriOrs another in order TO pre-
ellous halt in operations, 'e