The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-11-23

The boys VIII soon De coming Dack
from the front While the war is not
officially ended It has been TO all prac-
tical purposes brought to an end by
the stringent terms OF the armistice.
During the week the war department
issued a statement TO the effect that
the men In training In this country,
amounting to some 100000 will be
demobilized 4 once-which means as
quickly as the necessary arrange
ments can be made
II was also given out that the men
In England, amounting to about 49,
600 will start back next week. No
definite statement has been made re-
garding the boys in France, but il is
quite probable that at least half OF
the two million men will be sent back
soon, even though this country takes
to itself the policing OF certain dis
tricts.
SO, the question arises "Will the
boys get back their jobs?"
What the Mining Companies Say.
Iron county has sent out in round
numbers 1000 men from its mines,
stores and mills. While there is no
surplus labor In the county at the
present time, yet there isn't the great
deficiency that exists In other sec
tions where the demand due to the
war has been greater. Under natural
conditions, one would be justified in
saying that Iron county will be
able to absorb 1000 men. But. this is
an unnatural condition and many
people-and many Of the boys them
selves-have been wondering II the
returning soldiers will get the identi-
cal jobs that they had when they were
called, when they come back.
In order TO settle this question
definitely and in order to let the peo-
pie at home and our soldier boys at
the front know the disposition of the
employers OF labor in this county,
reporter for The Diamond Drill inter-
viewed each of the mining managers
in the county during the week putting
TO them squarely the question. will
the boys who left your employ TO 90
into the army get their Jobs back, the
identical Jobs that they left when
their country called them
What the Managers Say.
Alfred Martin. superintendent Of the
Hollister Mining Company speaking
for that company says:
"All men will be put back at the
same work that they were at when
they answered the call We have a
record OF all men who left our employ
for the army and as those men re-
turn they will be put back at the
work they were at when they left.
For example, one OF our firemen was
called. He will go back in the fire
!. room. Men underground will be
treated the same way"
NJ. r. Richards. general manager OF
the Judson and Nevada Mining Com
panys and speaking for those com
panies at Alpha and in Crystal Falls
township. said: Absolutely. Every
man who left our employ will get his
job back as soon as he wants 10 go TO
work. We have a list OF all men who
left us TO go into the army and they
will 20 back Just as they were when
they left"
Arvid Bjork. superintendent for the
Bristoi and Fortune Lake Mining Cos
md speaking for those companies,
hays: 80 far as we possibly can dc
80 we will put the men who left ouI
employ TO enter the army back at
their old Jobs We are, however, work
ing a limited force and must be guild
ed accordingly. We are employing
mainly married men, and we canno
replace married man with a single
man, but any OF our married men re-
turning from the army will get first
call and single men next In order. 1t
may be that conditions will change 40
we will not be working this limited
\ force when the boys return and then
[ we can change our policy to an un-
qualified yes but, with present con-