Evening star., 1918-04-26
PRESIDENTS PLANS
FOR LABOR DRASTIC.
Thought to Favor Sweeping
Readiustment Of Jurisdiction
Over U. S. Contracts.
AWAITS PASSAGE OF BILL

President Wilson is believed to be
awaiting the passage Of the overman
bill before appointing an administrator
Of labor to work out solutions of labor
problems directly concerned with the
prosecution of the war.
No official announcement has been
made about the pending appointment.
but it Is believed that one of the first
ways in which the President will exer-
else the broader powers given him un-
der that measure, If passed, will be q
sweeping readjustment Of the jurisdlc-
ton over labor now exercised by va
rious departments which have let war
contracts.
Incidentally the action the President
Is expected to take will clear up differ
ences that have arisen between tn
Council Of National Defense committee
members and the Department Of Labor.
Involve War Contracts.
In the opinion Of men informed upon
the labor problem the administrator
will have supervision more particularly
over those questions involving war
supply of needful workmen, Of adjudi-
eating disputes according to stand
ardized policy and Of avoiding the
practice of having one branch of the
government bid against another for its
labor. 1t also Is believed that the ad-
ministrator will be subordinate to the
Secretary of Labor. SO far as the Labor
Department's jurisdiction now extends.
TTfl In Ht dali $A1 TO hi
the powers previously vested with Will
liam B. Wilson when he was made
labor administrator.
If this view be correct the action will
be In the nature of compromise. For
labor administrator Independent of
the Labor Department has been urged.
In the appointment of an administrator
other than Secretary Wilson the critics
of the Labor Department have partial
victory, but they lose by this plan. in
able in some degree to the Secretary Of
Labor.
Plan May Be Retained.
It is believed that the plan worked
out by the advisory commission, head
ed by John Lind. and including L. c.
Marshall as the Council of National De-
Tense representative, will be retained.
This plan provides for number Of
special sections to deal especially with
war time problems, like those Of dilu-
tion of labor, employment of women
and children in industry, an extension
of labor exchanges. transportation Of
labor and q STANDARDIZATION Of wages
and hours among employees doing simi-
lar work on contracts awarded by diff
ferent departments.
One of the sections provided under
this plan, which found favor at the
Council of National Defense. is that on
housing. of which Otto NJ. Eidlitz is
head. Critics Of the Labor Department
admit that the Secretary of Labor read
lily accepted the plan, but that he had
not been active enough In setting ma
chinery to work in carrying 1t out.
Labor Department officials urge that
much of the plan could not be carried
out until congressional appropriations
were available.
Bernard NJ. Baruch and other mem
bers Of the War Industries Board have
looked into the labor situation on their
own account. They are known to IA
vor some arrangement by which the
competitive bidding of contractors be
eliminated, SO that the disagreements,
disputes and continuous flow of labor
from one point to another where slight
advantages are offered be checked
The Labor Department has held from
the first that there is enough labor In
the country, SO far as can be deter
mined. but that the local shortages
known to exist are the result of in
adequate distribution of the. supply