Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-02
JOHN 3. DENsMoRE, oNE-TiMc
WATERLOO LINEMAN, CHIEF
OF EMPLOYMENT BUREAU.
GREATEST EMPLOYMENT
AGENCY IN THE WORLD
Directs Giant Task Of Supplying Labor
For Shipyards. Munition Plants and
Farms Director Remembers Home
State by Opening Branch Offices in
Eight Iowa Cities.
IBy e. G. Dougherty.1

Washington, April One of the
biggest of the new war bureaus in
Washington is the United States en-
ployment service, which has the
giant task of supplying labor for the
shipyards, munitions plants and farms,
and the driving force in that organiza-
ton IS former lowan.
About twenty years ago, perhaps a
title less than that, John B. Densmore,
now director Of the United States en-
ployment service, was a telephone
lineman in waterloo. The only job
that concerned him then was his own
job.
Today Mr.. Densmore is running the
biggest employment agency in the
world, an agency with branches all
over the country, which fills tens OF
thousands of calls for labor every
day, so that Mr.. Densmore has become
the connecting link between the war
job and the man for the war job. He is
the chief of staff of the industrial
army serving on the side of material
man power in much the same capacity
that General March as chief of staff
of the army serves on the side of mill
tary personnel man power.
Secretary Wilson's Legal Adviser.
Mr. Densmore was solicitor of the
department of labor and Secretary
Wilson's chief legal adviser when he
was made chief Of the employment
service. He was prominent in the
legal profession in Montana, to which
he emigrated from Iowa when young
man, when brought to Washington five
years ago.
One of the first things Mr.. Densmore
did when he took hold of his new office
was to see that Iowa received recogni-
ton. He opened a branch of the
labor employment service at Des
Moines and followed this with the
opening of seven additional branches
in Waterloo his old home town, Cedar
Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Mason
City, Ottumwa and Creston.
Supplying Iowa Farm Labor.
"These offices" Mr. Densmore said
in statement announcing his Iowa
expansion plans, will devote especial
attention to the problem of farm labor
supplying in Iowa and will endeavor to
OUldlll regular anu Wal eIIleI SSlS/
farm workers for Iowa food producers.
THE employment service is now
conducting a nation wide campaign to
induce farmers to apply for labor at
the nearest branch office or to give
their labor requirements to their rural
mail carriers or postmasters. The latter
have been authorized by the post
master general to serveN as farm labor
agents under the United States en-
ployment service.
Thru it's branch offices and its
divisions of the public service and
boys working reserve the federal en-
ployment service is mobilizing farm
labor and other labor. 1t expects to be
in touch with all labor available for
agriculture, but it can not help a far
mer unless it knows exactly what he
wants and knows it in time
Special Farm Service Division.
A special farm service division is
being established in most Of the branch
offices with men in charge who have
had experience in farm Labor problems.
In addition special field agents are be-
ing sent into districts in which acute
farm labor shortage exists or where
unusually large numbers of men viii
be needed, to study the local situation
al close range and devise ways of
relieving the Immediately pressing
needs. BY these and other means it
is hoped to keep the farms manned at
time whe,. the draft and high wages
in industries are making serious in
roads on farm labor