The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-11-13
STERILIZATION
OF U. S. LABOR
BEING PLANNED
Demobilization of Men to be
Carried Out According to
Industrial Needs.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 13.--Demobil-
fzatton OF men in the military and
naval service Of the United States
after their return from France will be
carried out largely on a basis of the
ability OF trades and occupations to
absorb them, under plan being work
ed out by the Labor. War and Navy
Departments and the war industries
board. 1t was said today that the plan
will be submitted to President Wilson
in few days.
The war industries board has sent
questionnaires to employers in all in
dustries asking the needs of each for
men and the answers will show where.
when and how rapidly jobs will be
ready for discharged soldiers and sail
ors and what trades are most In need
of them. Supplementing this informa-
ton will be that received from draft
boards and community labor boards,
which are to cooperate in the work.
The war labor policies board and
the United States Employment Serv-
Ice will be combined to handle the
Labor Departments end. The War
Department is expected to establish a
new bureau or to convert the activities
OF Provost Marshal General Crowder's
Office to this epd. Gen. Crowder was
suggested by some officials as the man
best qualified to deal with the task Of
preserving the balance of power of
the labor supply without delaying de-
mobilization operations.
Would Stabilize Conditions.
With the conversion of industry
from war to peace basis many
workers also will be released from
emergency jobs created by the war,
but this problem has been taken into
consideration by the officials who are
working out plans for a general sta
bilizing of labor conditions when the
soldiers are returned to civil life
In this connection, officials pointed
out today that with the ending of hos
tilities there will be great resump-
tion Of private construction and manu-
featuring held up and restricted be-
cause of war work, and that thousands
OF skilled laborers soon will be needed
in all parts of the country for this
work.
Secretary Baker said that every
phase Of rehabilitation of the army is
being carefully studied by War De-
.partment agencies, but that as yet no
plans have been finally formulated.
The only orders so far issued curtail-
ing war work deal with projects upon
which work has not actually started,
he said.
The question of the number of Amer
ican troops to be retained in France
or elsewhere In Europe is being stud
led on that side, Mr.. Baker said, while
the general staff is preparing recon-
mendations as to the number to be
kept under arms in this country. The
problem in Europe remains one of
Joint operations with the allied nations
in after-the-war guarding and other
work to be done by the military forces
and no conclusions on this point can
yet be made.
Mr.. Baker said several factors will
govern the order in which men will be
released from the army. 1t is obvious,
ne said, that, as matter of justice,
men who had been longest in the serv-
ice should be released first, but the
industrial situation and the special
need for men of certain calling prob
ably will modify the principle of max
ing length Of service guide to- order
OF muster out.
Labor Department officials are conf
dent that the rehabilitation of the
100000 men now under arms at home
and overseas and the conversion of in
dustry to its peace status, will not
cause any serious problem of unem-
ployment.