The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-12
WILL MOBILIZE LABOR.
IHEMENDOJ EypaSCyo~ ~,
EMPLOYMENT SERVICE IN
PROGRESS.
Dchsfhorc TO BE Director-To Organ.
He workers for Agriculture, Gov
criiment ShipbuiIding and War Con-
tracts.

washington, Jan. 7.-Mobilization
o' "'ooo'ooO workers for agriculture
shlpouilding and war contracts was
entrusted today to the Jrnited ctoto.
employment service by the depart.
ent OF labor.
Tremendous expansion of tbo sor
vice is in progress in preparation for
recruiting men necessary to carry or
the economic work in support of the
militayr forces in the war. Solution
u the labor shortage problem by this
means is confidently proposed bv the
department and the cooperating laho.
organizations in answer to suggestions
mat conscription Of labor is neccs-
sary.
An early result is expected to Ie
the placing of 100000 mechanics IN
shipbuilding plants to aid in hurryiry y
to completion the merchant marine
program.
John b. Densm0re, of Montana. so.
licitor for the department of labor
will be the national director of the
employment service by appointment
of Secretary Wilson. He will have as
his assistant Robert Watson, of Mas
sachusetts and Charles T. Clayton, Of
Maryland Samuel Gompers, of New
York, son Of the labor leader will
succeed Mr. Watson as the depart
ment's cEier clerk.
Organization plans for the new ser
vice were described in an official
statement, which said:
THE United States employment ser
vice has been divorced from the ,,u-
reau of immigration, under whose
control it has ben since it's establish
nent, made a separate arm of the de-
partment and one of the lhrgest and
most important war prosecuting or
ganizations of the national govern
ment
| Through the utilization Of exist N,
and projected federal, State anu mu
nicipal employment offices and the Ia -,
Dor supplying facilities of the various
State councils of defense, the federal
employment service will cover the en-
| tire continent with a network of
interrelated labor exchanges These
will recruit and transfer workers
from one section to another and elm
| mate the present chaotic situation of
surplus Of workers in one region
and shortage in another.
"Supplementing this labor dstribu-
tion work the expanded federal SER
vice will create vast reservoir of In :
Dor to meet the increasing demands
OF the various war industries by means
Of its two auxiliary bodies, the
United States Public Service and the
United States Boys Working Reserve.
The creation of this labor surplus al
ready is under way.
'The public service reserve is ex-
pected by the department of labor
and the heads of organized labor to
solve the labor shortage problems and
to prove conscription of labor to be
unnecessary. The executive commit
tees Of many of the largest interna-
tional unions are cooperating with the
reserves heads in the enrolment o.
their members and their voluntary
acceptance of war jobs.
THE making of the United States
Employment Service the instrument
for the handling OF the national Ia
Dor question meets with the approval
Of both employers and employees. Since
the entrance of the United States into
the war the American Federation OF
Labor, representing the workers, and
the Chamber of Com merce. Of the Uni
ted States, speaking for employers
and business generally, both have
sought the action announced today"