The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1918-11-01
SPECIAL WAR WORK
CONF FERENCE
DR.. GEO. HAYNES WRITES LET
TER-MEETING HELD AT
GULFP0RT, MISS.-EXPERTS
SPEAK-DISCRETI0N AND
CARE USED.

The 1ncl0Sed letter written by Lne
Secretary of Labor last summer to
the Southern Sociological Congress
is now released for publication as it
has a statement of the attitude and
point of view of the Secretary with
reference to Negro wage.earners and
the application of general principles
of justice to them which will doubt
less be of interest to the readers of
your valuable journal.
During the past few months we
have been so pressed with other
work that we have not been able tC
send you as much material for pub
licity as you have doubtless desired,
but | trust that we shall be able to
give you better service in this re-
gard in the future. This letter may
be given appropriate heading to
show that it was officially released
by the undersigned.
Yours very truly,
GEORGE E. HAYNES,
Director of Negro Economics.
July 8, 1918,
DR.. j. E. McCulloch, General Secre-
tary, Southern Sociological Con-
gress, Gulfport, Miss:
My Dear DR.. McCulloch: The spec
ial War Workers Conference for the
State of Mississippi, to be conducted
b. the Southern Sociological Con
gress July 10 and IL, impresses me
as a very significant step in the ef
fort of the Nation to mobilize its Ia
Dor power for one hundred per cent
production in industry and agricul
ture. Such use of the labor power
OF the country is imperative as a
second line of defense behind the
millions of our men now on the
fighting front in France, in the army
corps in this Country and in oul
Navy upon the high seas.
The experts tell us that it takes
from six to ten workers at home &c
keep one soldier on the firing line
in Europe. Whatever, therefore
helps to mobilize, distribute and
energize those who do the work OF
our war industries has become as
important a factor in winning the wal
as the prowess OF our armies in the
field or our Navy on the seas
The President of the United States
has lodged the function If recruiting
and placing labor for war Industries
III the United States Employment
Service of the Department. Of Labor
Beginning with co"mon labor or
August /, this service will gradually
take charge of the mobilizing and
placing Of all labor for our industries
employing ore hundred or more work
ers. This will pr J'ounGlv affect 81
other industries and "a. other work
ers. 1t will correct the abuses ant
the troubles growing out of the large
labor turnover with the consequen
disruption of regular work.
In assuming such responsible!
the Department of Labor is aware o
the dangers. We need the co opera
tion and help of such men and WON
en- as gather in your conferences u
| guard against these dangers Work
ers must not be taken from one es
sential industry only to be placed II
other work not necessary to the pre-
secution of the War. Discretion an,
care must be used In the movemen
of laborers from one part Of the coun
try to another in order that the ecC
nomic fabric of he Nation will be dis
turbed as little as possible. w
need to keep ever before us the ide;
that the interests of the laborers an,
the interests of the business men ar
complimentary. Thev are parts o
that great organization of industr
and agriculture so necessary to tn
successful wagine of this war and 81
essential to the life of the Nation.
Above all, every safeguard must b.
taken to protect the standard of liv
, ing and the morals of the wage earn
ers. Especially must great care b.
taken to keep the age limit of thos
who enter industry at high Level
lest we rob our future citizenship o
its right to growth and time for edu
cation. We must also take knowl
edge Of the dangers attendant upol
the large entrance Of women int
heavy and hazardous industries.
The exegencies Of war times shoul,
not be made the occasion for tn
breaking down of those standards o
hours, wages and conditions of worl
which are designed to protect tn
childhood, the womanhood and tn
motherhood of the present and tn
future.
It is especially important at thi
crucial period when we need to cor
serve all the resources of the Natio
for the conduct of the war, that thes
principles should be applied to al
the people of our Country, includin
the Negro people, who constitut
about one-sixth of the total laboi
ing population. A similar policy wi
be equally important in the readjus
'ment period which will follow tn
war. am pleased to know that you
Congress is giving the problem il
earnest consideration.
4 Yours verv truly,
! tSigned) w. B. WILSON
Il Secretary.