Evening star., 1918-08-25
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

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The question Of labor 10 moro and
more coming to the front. and 1t is
undoubtedly one Of the
War Labor biggest questions now
p...,. facing the country
1IooIem. especially In connection
with the new draft law. which Con-
gress is expected to pass in the very
near future.
War Industries Of the United States
are at this moment short Of between
100000 and 100000 common laborers.
according to estimates made by ex-
perts Of the Department Of Labor who
have made q thorough survey Of the
situation.~ .r
The shortage in skilled craftsmen
S y almost as acute The a war d'nn. pia,ts In IN
undermanned by $4,000 skilled work
ers. Ono Of the largest munition
plants, turning out heavy caliber
guns. is short 1000 machinists.
This is the situation which the
United States employment service
has been delegated to relieve by the
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partments and boards OF the govern
ment.
Whils estimating the common labor
requirements of the war industries
for tho next three, months. the en-
ployment service has begun an ap-
ed but Of The skilled labor resources
Of the country. 1t is endeavoring to
get by the middle. Of next month a
rough estimate of the number OF
males over eighteen years of age who
have entered military service or are
winning of the war, and therefore
potential war workers. Nine occupa-
tional classifications. which include
unssilled labor. skilled craftsmen,
clerical and domestic workers. ETC.,
are being used.
This approximation will be made as
locally as possible. In addition to the
thousands of local agents of the em-
ployment service and the public serv-
ice reserve. the statistical and re-
search machinery of cities and states
and private organizations. CONNER
cial organizations, employment man.
ayers and their associations and all
other organisations in q position to
be of real assistance will be utilized.
The work in each state will be un-
der the general direction Of the en-
ployment service and the public serv-
ice reserve. Special attention viii be
paid to cities over 10000 population.
although the rural districts will be
covered as exhaustively as possible.
The nine occupational classiilca-
tions, in addition to military serv-
ice, are: Agricultural. forestry and
animal husbandry. extraction of min
erals, transportation, manufacturing
and mechanical Industries. trade
public service. professional service.
domestic and personal service and
clerical occupations.
Essential and non-essential indus
tries have worried business men and
manufacturers ever
What Industry since since the s on'.ea .sa
Is Eisentials S.r. ,s.'i L,ssrally sn.aya ,hou. o
sands Of inquiries are being received
by oficials of the Federal Reserve
Board from bankers in various parts
of the country on this subject. Such
inquiries can be specifically answered
In but few cases The question mus,
be determined. the reserve board OFF,
cials are saying in each case by local
bankers. after conferring with the
Reasonable discretion should be ex.
ercised and drastic steps calculated
to bring about hardship or embar.
rassment or to work injustice should
be avoided.
The banks are being advised that
use of their credit more and more
into productive fields. where its en-
ployment will result In augmenting
the national resources The work OF
the capital issues committee during
the past few months has furnished
general principles governing the ap-
plication of the idea Of conservation
in the investment field, and the ex-
tension of these principles to banking
credit will be . matter OF local 5udg-
ment and discrimination
Some light upon the matter will be
obtained, the officials point out. from
the action Of the various boards and
bureaus Of the government in regulat-
ing the Importation and distribution
Of material and commodities and IN
controlling the division of the avail
able supply between consumers. In
each locality 1t will be necessary to
make a careful study of the situation
from all these standpoints. taking
into account also the question how
far labor now employed in existing
verted without hardship to those
whose products are necessary for the
successful conduct OF. the war.
Consumers can assist in this process
of credit curtailment and shifting by
exercising q greater degree of econ.
omy and self-control in their pur-
chases and by combining themselves
to those objects of expenditure which
involve the use Of their funds for
purposes necessary to the mainte-
nance of the efficiency and comfort OF
the individual. abandoning those
vut 1T lob frt,
can safely and wisely be deferred to
the future The officials believe that
the problem csn be effectually solved
only by the general and well consid-
cred cooperation of all elements in
the community.
kk
Sodium nitrate. with which both
munitions and fertilizer are manu-.
factured. has to be i'm
California ported into the United
States, mostly from
NICIates. Chile. Because of the
shortage Of tonnage it was but ma
tural that the Department OF In
terror officials. whom they were as
sured that large deposits Of nitrate
Of soda existed in southeastern Cali
fornia, should send experts from the
geological survey to look over the
ground. The geologists have recently
returned and have reported that the
deposits, such as they are. are not
commercially workable.
The reports, which were given to ON.
cials Of the Department of the In
terror last year. and which have been
investigated. were to the effect that
these deposits were large and rich
enough to relieve the United States
of the necessity Of importing from
chile the sodium nitrate required fol