The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1918-11-30
Workmen at Home Do Their Part
in Winning War Against
the Hun.
FACED A TREMENDOUS TASK
From the Start America Organized
War Program on Basis Of Highest
Efflcieney-How Labor Was
Modified.

soldiers in France.
: America was confronted by a ire
mendous task when the conflict with
Germany became inevitable. The sup
plies the allies had required in the
years since 1914 had necessitated con-
siderable readjustment of labor and
commerce in the United States, but
with actual participation in the con-
flict much greater changes had to be
made. The work of American laborers
in producing food, munitions and cloth
ing enough for their own countrymen
and the allies as we'll is one of the
greatest performances Of the war, or,
indeed, in history Of all time. It has
been made possible largely by careful
organization of the nations man power
in order that every ounce of. strength
could be employed to best advantage.
The United States employment serv-
ice last June was intrusted with the
great task of mobilizing and distribute
ing labor. Something Of the kind was
absolutely necessary, for without uni
fed arrangements for obtaining the
help needed for war production indus
trial life in America would have been
:haOtic.
Europe Sets Example.
The experience Of European coun-
tries had illustrated how essential is
perfect organization and coordination
Of labor power toward successful pros
ecution of war which places practi-
:ally whole nations in arms. In the wars
Of the past, Industrial life at home
went on without any considerable in
terruption; the armies in the field were
ordinarily not so large that they could
not live on the country if they were
forced to do SO.
: With the summoning Of millions Of
men to the colOrs by all the belligerent
nations, however, the world war Of
1914 quickly took on quite different
aspect. The withdrawal of all these
men from industry proved tremen-
dous shock to the economic life Of ev-
cry nation.
Germany probably was the best pre-
pared for the great change, for the
possibility of summoning most Of the
man power Of the nation into warfare
had been considered more thoroughly
than elsewhere.
France and England, it soon became
apparent, had made serious mistakes.
In France large numbers Of skilled mu-
milton workers were called into the
army, and they suffered tremendous
losses when the Germans overran Bel
GUM and northern France. Munitions
output slowed up, and only by the
most heroic exertions were the French
finally able to turn back the enemy at
the Marine. Eventually the skilled ma
chinists were called back into the fac
tories, where they could be Of much
better service than even in the first
line trenches.
England had similar experiences. In
the patriotic zeal of thousands to en-
list, for the voluntary system was re-
tanned in England for about three
years, little attention was paid to the
retention on essential jobs Of men
whose places hardly could be filed.
The consequence was that railway
workers, miners and machinists went
into the army by thousands and that
England's productive capacity was
crippled seriously. Only this year Eng
land was forced to withdraw 10000
miners from the army in France, in
order that they might maintain the
fuel supply Of the British isles.
United States Profits by Errors.
America was able to profit by these
mistakes Of the allies, and from the
start organized war program on the
basis Of highest efficiency. The col
lapse of Russia shortly after America
entered the war, afforded still another
object lesson. Ia
Russia's collapse, It appears, was
due more to a weakening of NOR
ale at the front than to trouble at
home. Breakdown of the nations in
dustrial life was reflected quickly in
the morale Of the troops, however. The
whole war has illustrated the fact that
it is the home army that breaks first,
If quick military victory is not OBJ
tainable. Russia collapsed because
the Russian people could do nothing
more to carry on the war. Italy was
in grave danger of disaster because
Of industrial difficulties. Bulgaria and
Turkey quit the war while both coun-
tries had large armies in the field, sim.
ply because the home front broke. The
same condition existed in Austria-Hun-
gary. II