Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-04-12
LOAFERS IN WAR TINE

Edward Mott Wooley, of the Amcri.
can Defense Society, Says TIE
Ought to Be Dragged Into tie
Limelight.
One reads good deal in The ncy'i-
papers about the scarcity of labor,
says Edward Mott Woo!ley, of the
American Defense Society, ard we
hear serious predictions concerning
the difficulty farmers will have IN
planting and harvesting their crcps,
vet in travelling about the country,
and in recent months have covered
the United States from coast to coast
i have observed large numbers OF
men who seemed to have no occupa-
ton at all, and ] believe that many
thousands of men are practically lCat-
ing. am informed in certain factory
towns that considerable per cent OF
Young and able bodied men arc liz
ing on the earnings of their wives
and women relatives and in some ~
stances on the money brought home
bv their mothers. Work has been so
plentiful for women in these industrl
al ccrters that this class OF men con-
slider it unnecessary to do any labor
themselves; or at least they prefer TO
do as little as possible.
have o.ten stood in front of the
motion picture thcaters along about
five o'c.ocl, in the afternoon, watching
The outcoming throngs Of people, and
have been amazed at the large pro-
norton of young men VINO apparently
are in sound PHYSICAL condition. The
ether day ASKED municipal official
in A, large industrial community how
it happened that these young men
were able to spend the whole after
noon in picture show when we were
reading continually about a labor
shortage.
@The shortage would be less acute"
he answered, "if something could be
done to make these men work. This
commua;;ty is full Ct men who are idle
BIZ preference, and the money they
spend at the picture theaters ana else
where is earned by the tell OF women
who work long hours in the factories.
It's Il burning disgrace that this sort
Of thing should exist; and it will be
more than disgrace if these men
arc net made TO work during the sum-
slcr on the farm. where labor will be
so much in demand"
Now | do not cite this situation
with any intention of advocating the
CONSUMPTION of labor at the present
time. | don't pretend to say whether
such a law would be feasible or not.
do say that some sort of census
eight 10 be taken in every such COM
nunity. giving 4 reasonably accurate
idea as to the number Of men who
arc sinking the responsibilities Of
This great war crisis. Then, having
asccrtaned the facts, every moral in
hucnca should be brought TO bear
If no legal steps could be taEcn-to
make them useful in the new emer-
gency confronting US.
Moreover, I have ma-e il my task
to observe the employees in " large
number of confectionery an. soda
stores, and have found .hTt Hundreds
of young and husky men are doing
work that ought to be done ut time
Ike this. by women. I have ot;"n
wondered what was gcing on in these
fellows heads as the skipped around
in white aprons making nniik-snaHca
and serving chocolate franrcs.
What we need in this country. "sH"-
ciallv, IS realization o., the fact thai
we are at war, ard that every nan
ought to be spending at least part OF
his time in the cause.
As look al it, this problem Of get
ting r1cn where they car do The most
service Is partly "a matter Of Zeal
community patriotism. 4 great deal
can be done &c wake men Up by the
local press. chu-cfcs, puE,;ic gather
rrs and societies. and b. tao creation
Of that subtle thing known as COM
munity spirit Tie class Of men |
have been talking about ougr, TO be
shamcd into doing things mo.r, worth
while. They ought to be dragged into
the limclight.