Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-30
WAR! LABOR POLICIES
I|BOARD HAS NO POWER
Two Distinct Organizations Under
+ Administrator Wilson Deal With
Strikes and Industrial Disputes.
REACHED BINDING
Bureau OF Industrial Housing and
Transport alton Spending Sf10,-
100000 on Houses for Workers.
Roger Babsou Directs Information.
/ Snfcial IA Tho Tfmes-Dlspa,eh.l

lSofsST ISaDSoh bHNNto ihi'h
g.
ESPECIAL 70 Tho Times D.spatch.I
wASHINGTOS, September 2o.-No
problem which tho Federal govern
mcnt faced in its program for plac-
ing the country uHon = war basis has
been moro difficult than that OF mar
shaling American labor, manning the
vital Industries settling without loss
of production hundreds or disputes be-
tween eemployers and employees. and
relocating that proportion OF produc-
tive man power found 10 be engaged
in nonwar occupations
To accomplish all this-o- so much
OF it as has been aocomp!i shed-has
required very skillfui handling, strong
influences. repeated appeals 10 the pa
triotlsIn OF -.g men themselves and II
Il feH- instances TO the exercise OF the
utmost war powers ~ lie government.
Workers Cannot be communicated
bodily as can industrial plants. They
cannot lie drive. Ike cattle 70 DO
their duty They may he drafted into
the military service, - particular
cases. /: they fail TO keep .; work o.
IL they persist working along non
esse1t:a lines eu' ihs; IS about a.!
. tina; taa government can 90 tcwa:,i
And - 1ri-- - r-1c labor into IN
imu1t d's;s -,.a--1rsaif - he war. 10
show Z ~ss-s rs 7a;h >: duty lies,
etsc;e acy Ana N-at - oHllcations arc,
re; % - immediate s-"T!oye- eu; -
its gave -s1,- - eNs:- expanding OF
The as: : :sat mis- o.Eaa.zaiioD -
.eA1E 5 = @-Ss and = 80 divided
zad Scs~S.v-te- ma; he average per
son : C::t:-v se~ .de.et Z: IS CONT
rlsIity. -es-s >esCs % oe commissions
AID tc@-.:;sss ana soarGs ana hu-
rsaus ~!iAoC: ed. each q ;hena with
Of them apparently engaged a to:as
the same thing.
Bu,, As matte % .ac;- i; IS TO,
as contused an organization as !,
considerable care. and While there may
be some overlapping Q: jurisdiction, Il
is good deal like Mark Twains ice,
OF Wasner's ,nusic--it is no; bad as
the business is wholly removed from
the arbitration end. The policies ero
is identiiied with the whole organlza-
lion. but has no power 10 interfere
with any commission or boards duties.
SECRETARY WILSON
IS LABOR ADMINISTRATOR
The fact Nigh; be recalled right
here that this government has labor
that such an official is on the Job, ana
not only wears the title just describcd.
but exercises the powers. That official
IS the Secretary of Labor. William
Il. Wilson. The President designated
The secretary TO Oc the labor admin
istrator more ihan year aso In
formal executive order. II so happens.
however. that Che secretary prefers to
function under his old Cabinet title,
and while he performs all the duties
imposed upon the labor admi istrator,
ne has never cared 10 exploit him
self as such.
All those bodies created for dealing
with wartime labor questions are
~ - n tl, al, tl..Nr
Wilson as labor administrator. Only
the old Department OF Labor bureaus
are left to concern Secretary Wilson.
rs secretary, and nc has round ways
of passing most of their affairs along
10 tho assistant secretary, Mr. Post.
Immediately under the labor admin
istrator comes the War Labor Policies
Board, a body made UP OF representa-
lives OF each OF the Fedora! depart
ments, boards and administrations
which employ labor or have labor
prohlcms to meet. Felix Frankfurier:
law at Columbia University, is chair
man of this board All II has to do
Is 10 mako recommendation to tho
labor administrator concerning Doli-
cies. 1t has no power 10 dn anything
else, not even tn. privilege 81 max
ing suggestions - any branch OF the
government except through AIR VIII
son himself.
Also Immediately under the labor
ADMINISTRATOR comes the United States
Enpl"N mcnt Service. nation W! de
organization engaged IN finding labor
il 4" the best advantage. John Is;
Dcnsmorc. former solicitor of the De-
rartmtnt of Labor. is director general
Of the service. Under him there ia
u director for ct-h state In the union
ami under thc.At..rc directors are com
mnniiy labor boards. who advise with
the directors regarding the !a.'Or con.
diiions Is lh"N EXIST ~ !. gwen COM
munity or industrial district.