Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-09
100000 WOMEN MUST
TAKE MEMS PLACES
u. S. Planning to Mobilize Power
of Females; the Labor
Problem Acute.

Washington, ID. c., Sept. 9.-The
women of America will. solve the labor
| situation that officials now admit is
critical and which will be aggravated
| Just as soon as the extension Of the draft
ages begins making inroads into the
industrial man power. Despite all the
efforts that will be made TO protect vital
war industries, it is thoroughly under
st ood here that there will have TO be a
large replacement of men called TO the
colors, and following the statement by
| Bernard NJ Baruch. chairman Of the
War Industries Board, that the country
! has only begun to use its woman power,
| plans for tapping this huge reservoir
are going forward with rush.
PLANS FOR MOBILIZATION.
Conferences between the War In
| dustrics Board and the National Labor
! Policies Board looking To the most cf-
/ fective means of mobilIzing the women
| of the nation behind the men at the
| front are already in progress. The
| plans have not been rounded into final
/ shape, but IT is said that an intensive
drive to bring out the full woman power
! of the country will begin within a few
weeks.
| As a basis for its work the Govern
/ mcnt has a list OF not less than 3.373000
! women who. IN response To n call by the
| Council of National Defense, registered
| themselves as willing to enter any work
| the Government finds them needed IN.
| Nothing like all of these will be found
| available for the tasks that must be
| attacked, but an estimate Of 2,000,oo0
women may have to he found before
the middle of next summer 10 take their
| place in industry IS not disconcertlng
any officials here
5000 900 WOMEN REQUIRED.
Latest statistics available show that
of the l7,623,992 women IN England
there are now employed. exclusive OF
domestic servants, saleswomen, war
nurses, etc. 4.I}S 900, or slightly more
than - per cent The women of the
United States. according 10 the 1910
census. numbered 45,2S9,67l The num-
her Of employed was little more than
| 3,647,00, or about : per cent These
| figures show that 10 make tho proportion
of women employed here equal to the
showing hv the women Of England It
would hc necessary for more than 5000, 900
American women TO take up behind the
lines the burden OF war Il is estimated
| that 6OO,O0O already have replaced
men called for military services.
The principal agency IN accomplishing
this Is the nltcd States Emeloymcnt
Service Of the Department of Labor
which is already cnlarging and improving
its machinery With GOO branches scat
/ tered throughout the country, particularly
m the industrial centres this organization
| the original function of which was finding
! Jobs for immigrants. Is finding workers
| Tor Jobs In its work - far The Employ
/ mcut Service has had the benefit Of the
/ machinery huit up hv tho National League
/ for Nomcns Service which even before
/ the nitcd states entered the war sent
investigators to France and England
/ II has also at its command the Govern
ment SURVEYS showing war essential and
I lcss essential Industries. II also has had
/ the active cooperation Of labor IN many
| places.
10 RECRUIT THE WILLING.
The general plan followed so far and
I which Will doubtless form the basis for
the hIg drive, Is - recruit Wiling but
unframed women through Women's or
| ganizailons and to draft trained women
| from less essential work INTO the war
/ plants IN Illuminating instance Of how
! Il did The latter Was furnished recently
when a Gas mask factory established by
I he Government on Long Island required
mcnt Service visited such plants as the
4 collar factories Of Troy and won recruits.
/ III Manhattan factories where women had
worked on women fancy collars, baby
( caps and corset more were located
/ Within week the 1000 needed were
| found and II work
THOUSANDS MAkING MUNITIONS.
| The variety Of industries in which
{ j \ l.
1 Of replacing men is almost without limit
/ Thousands have taken their places IN
| munitions plants Bat when the hig
| ,-lll for women workers came. other less
romantic, but necessary, Industries will
| have TO be supplied They Will be needed
/ IN plants not apparently directly connect
| cd with the war but vital IN some way
| 70 the military forces or the civilian
! population.
The railroads will need them The
| Pennsylvania Is already employing $500
! in places formerly held by men, and are
/ making good as car cleaners, messengers
| drawbridge tenders, crossing watchmen,
parcel room attendants, ticket agents
J aIrd even section hands
| WOMEN IN LUMBER CAMPS.
In Ohio women are replacing men IN
| glass factories In Arkansas they are
at work in lumber camps On the coast
| they have found their places in the ship
! wards, as painters and carpenters In
| hundreds Of shops they are already prov
| ing themselves capable a. machnists and
IN various other kinds of metal work In
many munltiOn centres they are already
maintained by factories 'vestibule schools
| and it is through them that trained women
find their way to permanent work at the
bench Plans already made for increased
use Of women contemplate the enlarge
ment of these schools and the establish