Evening journal., 1918-10-08
MUST find 5000
LABORERS FORNITRO
West Virginia Called Upon
to Fill Its Share Of Short
age in Force
BUILT BY
DU POINT COMPANY

West Virginia has been called upon
TO furnish GOOO men Immediately 10 mn
Its share Of the shortage IN the con-
structlon force at the governments
great smOkeless powder plant at Nitro.
In a telegram sent by the assistant
director general TO Lemuel B. Spaun,
federal director OF the Employment
Service for the State OF West Virginia,
that State Is called upon 90 lnd tho
necessary men from non-essentlal In
dustries without any consideration OF
the sacrifices entailed. No men are to
be taken from The mines, Ollnelds, rail-
roads, or other war work.
While all possible assistance viii be
given West Virginia, IN the shape Of
transfers from other States, It Is en-
phaslzed that responsibility for finding
COCO men rests solely on the Employ
ment Service Organization and commu-
nifty labor boards OF West Virginia
L6st month Georgia was notified that
unless 5000 unskilled labOrers were
found TO complete the governments
100000 plcrlc acid plant at Bruins
wick the entire plant would be moved
TO another State. The men were at
hand In less than two weeks.
When the State Of Washington was
faced with a crucial shortage OF ship
yard workers, hundreds Of business and
professional men, headed by the mayor
OF Seattle, answered a call from the
Federal State director, volunteered TO
see the emergency through, and are
now working as common labOrers.
Called upon TO flnd thousands OF men
10 cut the billion and a h9h feet 0t
lumber required this year Tor alrplanes,
ships and other war purposes, the
state OF Maine Is now cOmblng It's non
essential industries 10 provide the need
cd wood cutters. The case OF the pow
der plant at Nitro, West Virginia, adds
another % the list Of States on which
the responsibility OF finding men for its
own war purposes has been squarely
placed.
The smokeless powder plant et Nitro
is one OF the largest in the world and
must be completed by January 1 In
order 10 ship TO France 625,000 pounds
Of smokeless powder daily, 10 be on
hand for use in the spring offensive.
The plant was built by the dupont
Company.
Little more than half the number OF
men necessary TO complete the plant at
Nitro by New Years Day are now EN-
plOyed there Because the plant is 10
Gated IN West Virginia that State must
supply a large part Of the deficit. Six
thousand Is the number allotted, and
they must be found Immediately.
The first consignment Of Porto Bican
labor 20 reach the continental United
States since the islanders were mobil-
izer for war work By the employment
service, will arrive at a Southern port
this week. The shipment will consist
Of 1900 men.
The men were transferred TO an army
transport at San Juan a short time ago
In the remarkably short time OF six
hours. F. C. Roberts, in charge OF the
san Juan Office Of the employment SER
vice, supervised their mobilization.
The new arrivals and other Porta
Rlcan laborers that follow them, will
be used on construction work In con-
nectiOn with the War Department con-
tracts. For the most part they will be
employed in Southern districts, where
the climate is suitable TO their health.
Joseph B. Dougherty, Aaron Keil and
II. A. w. Behen have been appointed
examiners for the United States En-
plOyment Service.
Owing to the greatly Increased
amount Of bushes transacted by tele-
phone with the various branches OF
the United States Employment Service,
a branch telephone exchange has been
placed in the main Office at Sixth and
King streets, with special wires TO each
department The main office telephone
number is 6SS3.