Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-13
GREAT SHORT AGE OF
ESSENTIAL LABOR
IN THIS STATE
Estimated at 1900, and Other
States Bring Total to About
$4,000.
TO CALL ON OTHER LINES
Spes.ial Dispatch From Every Evening $
Washington Correspondent.

Special Dispatch From Every Evening S
Washington Correspondent.
Washington, Aug. Excluding nom
essential industries in Delaware, and tax
ne into account only the most important
of the war projects there, IT Is estimated by
the Federal employment service here
that a net shortage OF nearly Il ,uUu hh
skilled work men may hc found when iIia'
returns are IN on Thursday OF tins week.
A few days after that time there VIII NC
reapportionmcnt of quotas among the
States. :,
The quota of So which was originally
assigned to Delaware, to he recruited from
among non-war industries and other avail
able sources, probably will bc doubled
The remainder of workmcn necessary VIII
have 10 come from other States
\ potential crisis is being faced by the
service in supplying unskillcd workmen to
industrial States such rs Delaware, from
States where there IS an ovCrsupplY ot un-
skilled labor This is by reason OF the fact
that most States IN which there IS sur
plus are in the South, and 10 a large degree
this surplus is Negro labor.
TO SUPPLY NEGRO L,RoR.
II has been learned that the intention
Of tho service Is to supply Negro labor to
such manufacturers rs request IT, unless
municipalities object
Returns from manufacturers IN Della
ware from which the shortages were COM
puted. where only from those whose out
put is so important to the government $
war program that they are placed on the
priority lists for coal and material, Of the
war industries board and the prloritlcs
board
When the initial quotas were estimated
r., al, In IL
facturcrs in Delaware showed n shortage
OF 9 500 unskillrd lAhorcrs This was con-
sldercd IN connection with the available
lahnr supply In the State rs Indicated Ivy
the census statistics. and the quota Of 50
determined aS the first goal 10 be set for
recruiting within the state. The net
shortage shown was therefore S,9ij.
Complete returns. il was announced.
probably Will double both The shortage
indicated. and the quota 10 he assigned.
WILL HAVE 70 GIVE UP
II is becoming moro evident, with the
working out Of the employment service
program. that non-csscntlal plants, and
even war plants which arc Of lesser I'M
pnrtancc will have to Clvc up large num-
Der Of their w0rkincn 1t Is the intention
of the Federal service q have tho pavrolls
Of these plants comhcd for all available
men who can he put into the moro active
industrial war sectors.
4 certain amount Of diutlon Of labor,
and gradual training of mon not arcu7tom-
ed To un><llled work All bc re>ortcd 10,
also
Special effort is being made by the scr
vice 10 meet immediate shortages of IN
skilled workers existing III several Of the
chef war projects which are vital 10 WIN
ming the war. These plants are TOW short
more than $4,000 unskiilcd mon and IN
some cases operation Is virtually az a
standstIll For Their relief the Depart
ment of Labor, through the employment
service. has authorized Interstate ship
ments Of men ana the use Of such plants
own recruiting forces, subject to strict
control Of the Federal service.
Men engaged in non-esSenIal occupa-
tIons are beng secured under the work
or-fgLt order. for war industries Al
though Secretary Of War Baker has an
nounced that the extension Of the draft
ages Is intended IN no way - meet the
labor situation in the country, the fact
that such extension viii affcc: tile program
Of the employment service TO some extent
is recognized The number Of men 1t viii
add 10 the available supply Is doubtful
however, as tho extension will mean also
the depletion Of the present ranks hy the
number OF those drafted INTO military
service.
4 large Eastern shell loading plant
which Is short 1000 lneklled men has
advised the employment service that store
clerks and other affected by the provost
marshal-geneTal : order can be used for
shell-loading.
Other plants are taking such men
for the lighter ctrms Of U,Skilled labor and
In some instances arc gradually harden
ing them for the heavier forms One Of the
largest shipyards Is undertaking tins on
an extensive scale and reports u large
amount of success