The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-13
MAN-POWER
NOT YET DEPLETED
Except in Certain Skilled Trades II is
Found That There is No Marked
Shortage of Labor.

| shortage OF LABOR.
Chicago, May l3.-The nations indus
trial manpower has not suffered serious
depletion as result of the United
States first year in the world war, SC
far as indicated in recent surveys of the
general labor situation conducted by the
United States employment service and
The Illinois free employment bureau. Ex-
cept in certain skilled trades these bu-
reaus find there is no marked shortage
of labor, the chief problem at present
being distribution.
The labor turnover so far this year has
been greater than in previous years. This
is attributed to some extent to unusual
opportunities for individual betterment
offered by plants working on war con-
tracts
On an average 100000 persons are OBJ
tanning employment through the Chicago
district Office of the federal bureau as
compared with a total of 495 900 during
the last fiscal year. This huge increase
is accounted for by the recent reorgan-
cation of the bureau for service as the
national machinery for the mobilization
and distribution of the country's labor.
As such it has handled the applications
of hundreds of thousands of workers reg
istering with the public service reserve,
including more than 100000 mechanics
for shipbuilding.
A system of daily surveys shows the
bureau where the greatest shortage or
surplus exist and with this information
it is able TO make economic distribu.
ton. Manufacturers are being urged to
use the government agency as far as
possible in order to reduce the labor
turnover uneconomic competition be-
tween industries essential to the war
At the state employment bureau 5000
persons sought work in March and there
too the demand is in about equal balance |
with the supply, except in a few trades |
Positions were found for nearly all the |
applicants.
The demand for women workers is said |
to be about normal Only in a few $50. |
ated cases have they replaced men called |
to the colors. A few plants engaged on
war contracts have employed large mum.
oers of women without difficulty.
Many women teachers are said to be
eaving the school room for more remu.
lerative employment, and the draft has
irawn so heavily upon the already scant
supply of men teachers that several
states report the situation alarming for
lext year. A survey of thirty seven
tates just completed by the profession
Il service division of the federal bureau
shows that during the present school
year West Virginia was forced to close
between $50 and 200 schools because Of
ne scarcity of teachers. In Montana
md Wyoming about two dozen schools
nlrc aJ Tor Ia |
Jew Hampshire, North Carolina Della
o, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Ind- {
ma report marked shortage. The bu-
eau has 700 teachers applications and :
90 vacancies listed, but large percent
ge of those seeking positions, it is point
out, are not qualified for work in the c
apartments where the greatest defcien-
Y exists.
To cope with what is expected to be an I
Unprecedented railroad labor shortage O
ter in the year, new department OF
he United States employment service P
as been organized to handle railroad )
Dor for the western regional district. Z
y order of Director General McAdoo the s
lilroads have abolished their labor bu- d
aus and the government agency will =
cruit their men as well as direct the
stribution. In event of an acute short D
re of workers in maintenance of way q
,partments, it is planned to suspend II
ork not absolutely necessary and send r.
en- from these locations to points where
ey are more urgently needed. A great pl
lmber of laborers are said to have left IN
e roads because of the higher wages OF
ey can obtain in mines or factories.
So far the farmers of the central west M
ID northwest have had little difficulty to
finding enough help. Most of them ia
mand experienced hands but are being IN
ged by employment officials to accept W
ore men from the public service re- su
rye, which consists for the most part W
students. In a few western states the III
rvest labor question is being taken up pr
communities. each community mo- WI
izing emergency workers to help near VI
farmers. Mobile forces of haryesters as
: also being organized to begin with =
E Kansas winter wheat harvest and
we northward through the Dakotas m
other northwestern states where the
eat is ready for cutting after the j
nsas harvest is over. These men, with
, hands available from the public serv- n
reserve, are expected TO furnish ample IN
m labor. In
In innovation in the federal employ
Mt bureau is a department organized o.
aid crippled soldiers returning from
war. The committee for the handi-
ped, a private organization. has Just
n merged with the service. 1t viii =.
positions disabled men can fill and IL
p them re-estsblish themselves in civil
.