Evening star., 1918-11-24
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLNs
y = NCLE SAM faces the prob.
lem Of converting an army
Of soldiers into an army Of
industrial and agricultural
~ workers. The size Of this
task is apparent, when 1t is
remembered that today there are
about 100000 men in tho military
service of the country in Europe, and
approximately 100000 in tho camps
and cantonments in the United States.
With the coming of peace all these
men, with the exception Of the Regu-
lar Army, must be returned to civil
life.
Admittedly there Is q shortage OF
labor in this country today. a short
age that is not, confined to any one
section or to any one industry. Many
industries and enterprises have been
1anguishing since the war began for
lack Of labor. They were forced to
the wall because the men were needed
in the Army and Navy and in indus
tries essential to the prosecution OF
the war. All Of these are waiting to
spring to life again.
Country Ready to Absorb.
The country. therefore, is like a
huge sponge, with its industries and
farms waiting and ready to absorb
tho returning millions of men as
soon as they lay down their arms.
How swiftly can this absorption come
MI - toll IN
terest not only to the country, but to
the soldiers. If the demobilization is
too swift to permit ready absorption.
then the country will face serious
problem. 1t is ques-
tion that should be worked out by the
military authorities in conjunction
with the Department Of Labor.
The recent order providing that
100000 men in. the camps in this
country are to be mustered out within
a week was issued before any plan of
concerted action looking to the find
ing Of jobs for these men had been
made. It is not anticipated. how
ever, that there will be any difficulty
for this comparatively small number
Of men to find jobs. But in some
quarters there is grave fear that un-
less there is found a workable plan.
capable Of finding Jobs for the addi-
tional thousands and hundreds OF
thousands who must be demobflfzed
within a short time, the country will
have thousands OF 5obless men walk
ing tho roads and the streets OF the
cities
Several ssSwal1ows" Necessary.
No matter how thirsty q man may
sfs5Snys ~ csWS3FS Wss NO matter how
much the country may need labor, it
cannot absorb the men returning
ssse. ,s,,s 4 iasf several ani
swallows OF the Job, &
Under the order for the ,demobiliza-
ton OF 100000 men in camps in the
United Statee 1t, is planned to send
these men to. their homes. giving
them transportation. and providing
special trains to carry them to their
destinations. They leave camp wear
ing their uniforms, and with q months
pay tucked away in their pockets. 1t
is safe wager that practically all of
them, having free transportation, will
go home. For they want again to
see their families and friends. and
to be seen-the returned soldier boys.
It is human nature.
Many Jobs Held Open.
Many Of these men have jobs to
which they can return. Jobs that at,are are
will have little trouble finding work.
for they are the first of the Army to
return to civil life and the demand
for labor is great.
But when it comes to turning out of
the camps some 10000 men a day.
gone, as it has been suggested will be
done, then the real absorption prob
lem begins.
II the plan could be worked out. not
a soldier should be mustered out who
was not assured of a job. in the opin-
ion of some of the government Off
unemployment problem to meet in the
next few months. This appears pa
ternalistic in the. extreme. But on
the other hand it appears good sense.
There would of course be no obliga-
tion on the part of the soldier to re-
tain the job to which he is sent II he
desires to change.
Mustering-out Suggestion.
It has been suggested. therefore,
that the soldiers be mustered out in
First, ali those who have jobs to
which they can go back be mustered
out as quickly as possible. A letter
from the employer or firm should be
wanted on the job.
Second, that the government
through one of it's agencies, see to it
that jobs are found for the other men,
and as quickly as jobs can be found
the men mustered out.
The United States employment serv-
ice of the Department of Labor has
fifteen hundred community labor
boards. all of which have been en-
gagged in obtaining labor for war
jobs that needed it. These boards will
now act in cooperation with the War
Department and the War Industries
Board to find jobs for the returning
soldiers and for the men and women
who have been at work in munition
plants and other plants producing war
materials which will in part be aban-
doned.
Boards to Report Weekly.
An arrangement has been made
whereby these local labor community
boards will make weekly reports to
the United States Employment Serv-
ice and through 1t to the War Depart
ment and the War Industries Board
Secretary Wilson of the Department
of Labor has issued an appeal to these
local boards to carry on" saying that
their work is of vital importance in
the solution of the returning soldier
problem.
In no other industry in this coun-
try are men so vitality needed today
as in agriculture. Farm hands are
not to be had at any price in many
places. Yet this country has the job
Of feeding the world, or q very large
part Of Il. It is OF vast importance
that the farms get their full share
Of the young men who are mustered
out Of the Army. II has been recon.
mended by not . few members of
Congress that the farm hands be
given the preference in the muster
ing-out process.
Farm Work Slack Now.