The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-12-13
FRANCE HAS MORE
men THAN JOBS
Returning Army to Civil Life
Brings Problems Unlike
Those in U. S.
WORKSHOPS ARE WIPED OUT
Labor ReadJustThent ls Subject Of
Greater Importance In France
Than In Any other Bel
Ilaerent Country.

Paris.-Readjustment Of labor after
rehabilitation looms as the biggest
after-the-war question In France.
A committee Of members of the
French chamber of deputies has Off
clally asked the government what
steps toward labor reconstruction are
to be taken.
Appointment Of a commission to
study the question has just been an
nOunced.
Labor readjustment is a subject of
greater Importance in France than in
any other belllgerent cOuntry-outside
of Belgium, perhaps-because so many
factories and commercial enterprises
have been destroyed by the war.
Workshops Are Wiped Out.
When the soldiers are demobillzed
a great number will not be able to
return to the work In which they were
engaged before the war. Their work.
shops have been wiped out.
Many others who have been en-
ployed on war work In munitions
plants will be thrown out of employ
ment. For such concerns will have to
shut down while they adapt them
selves, many of them slowly, to a
peace-time line of manufacture.
Another class Of men, who have
been away at the front four years,
will find no places open because they
have been replaced by other labor
women, in numerous cases.
The government faces the problems
of having more men on its hands than
1t has jobs. A quick solution is i'm
perative, according to the view of
prominent labor leaders.
'Every other country except France
has thought about this matter" said
Emmanuel Brousse, a French deputy |
and a member of the newly appointed |
labor adjustment commission.
Britain has been working on the
labor question for a long time. Twen-
ty-five commissions composed of spe-
clalists in various lines have prepared
a solution.
Germany had its after-war program
definitely mapped out. First the men
who in civil life were engaged in such
occupations as technical, commercial,
Industrial, financial and transport
were to be freed from army service.
Other kinds of workmen were to be
successfully.
"France must not lose a moment in
out its labor readjustment
plan. Otherwise there will be social
Labor leaders in France point also
to the preparations in America for
farming land to demobil-
zed soldiers. But they remark that
this method of finding something for
the ex-soldler to do is closed to the
French.
Land Cultivated IntensiVeIy.
France has no vast unoccupied lands
IS the United States has, except in its
lorthern African colonies. All of
France is cultivated intensively, leav-
ng none for reclamation by demobil-
zed soldiers. And 1t is calculated
hat few will want to leave their own
country for the purpose of colonial
ion.
g. a. Roberts, British minister of
abor, recently discussed this subject
DefOre an audience of British soldiers
It the British Army and Navy Leave
lub In Paris.
The British minister said temporar-
ly unemployment difficulties Of demo
'ilized soldiers would be met by a
rec out-of-work donation covering a 5
eriod of II months after discharge. l
his will be additional to the months ,
urlough given each man on his dis $
barge, during which time pay and al :
are to be continued.
The skilled workman among British
oldiers, Roberts said, is safeguarded $
y the munitions Of war act, giving
i'm the assurance Of reinstatement in
mployment. Committees, he said, : !
'ould establish employment agencies
all cities and everything possible s
'ould be done to make labor resettle- 5
tent as speedy and smooth as possi- f
lie.