Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-08-19
Big Meeting Called in Des Moines TO.
morrow to Discuss Serious La.
Dor Shortage Existing in
This State.
EMPLOYERS HERE ARE INVITED
Industrial Disruption Faces State
Unless Immediate Relief Can
Be Had.

Industrial disruption in Iowa is a
threat of immediate menace unless
drastic steps are taken to avoid the
dangerous pit toward which the state
now is drifting.
With the federal government ig-
noring Iowa in the letting of war con-
tracts on the one hand, and calling
upon the industries of the state tc
give up their workmen for munitions
plants and the like in the east, a
cloud of coming industrial stagna-
ton is rising in the unanimous opin-
ion of state officials, civic, business
and labor leaders.
Statewide Meeting Called.
So serious is the situation deemed
that it was decided to call state
wide meeting of all interested agen-
cies.
The meeting will be held tomorrow
in the chamber of the house of rep
resentatives. Farm bureaus in each
county, commercial clubs, manufac-
turing interests and labor organiza-
tons will be represented.
The situation as to the supply and
demand for labor in Iowa will be
thoroughly discussed, and an attempt
will be made to work out policy OF
statewide application calculated to
avert the threatened disaster
Practically every employer of la
Dor in any numbers in this city, and
generally all over the state, has been
invited to attend this conference.
Secretary Wilson Expec,.u.
William B. Wilson, secretary of
labor in President Wilson's cabinet;
Felix Frankfurter, assistant secre-
thry, and Bernard Baruch have been
invited by the governor to attend this
meeting and learn Iowa's predica-
ment.
While the basis of Iowa's prosper
ity--its agriculture-is theoretically
unimpaired by the present situation,
far-reaching evil effects nevertheless
are bound to result unless change
is brought about.
George Wrightman, secretary of
the Iowa Manufacturers association,
who has spent much time in Wash
ington looking after Iowa manufac-
turers' interests, has declared that
those who have in their hands con-
tracts for war work hardly are aware
Iowa is on the map.
He has charged that specifications
are fixed in such way that Iowa
factories cannot compete for war
contracts. With this GOODNESS in
view, Iowa industrial plants have
been slow to convert their machin-
cry for war manufacturing. Then a
few weeks ago the federal govern
ment assumed control of the entire
labor supply and announc-
ed that it would draw on those
states in which there was a surplus,
to make up deficiencies in other
states.
The basis of these states quotas
are their war industries, in which
Iowa is deficient because the war
contract makers haven't given Iowa
war work to do.
Iowa has been called upon to fur
nish close to 1000 workers to be
sent to other states since August /.
The quota Iowa must furnish before
October 1, according to federal an
is 5000 workers.
This is in spite of an actual ne
cessity in Iowa for assignment of
workers to instead of from this state,
in order to keep factory doors open,
according to Ralph Faxon of Des
Moines, executive secretary in the
work of organizing community labor
boards.
Governor Harding declares that
the labor conditions now confronting
the state are so serious that imme-
date action is imperative. Because
Of its slowness in recruiting labor for
federal calls already made, Iowa has
been censured in a letter from the
secretary of labor's office.
The Iowa situation has had a deep
effect on enforcement of the work
or fight" draft ruling over the state.
1t is considered likely that at Tues
days meeting a strong effort will be
made to divert some war work to
Iowa factories, for Iowa workmen to
DO, instead of taking the workmen
east and closing the factories.
Miss Gladys Calkins is again at her