The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-22
SAYS JOBS AWAIT
INDIANA SOLDIERS
Gov. Goodrich Tells Here
How State Solved This
Problem.
HITS LANE PATERNALISM
Urges Government to Restore
to Owners Properties Taken
During the War.
HITS LANE PATERNALIsM

I'm Indiana our soldiers are all go
ing back to their old Jobs" said James
p. Goodrich Of that State at the head
quarters Of the Republican National
Committee in this city yesterday. THE
Governor rather resents what he calls
the governmental paternalism' shown
in the report Of Secretary of the In
terror Lane. in which considerable
space Is devoted TO the returning SOL
der and his future employment
Secretary Lane" he said, "sug-
gested the drainage Of swamps and
the utilization Of waste lands. and
other things. All OF his suggestions
are interesting. but candor compels the
frank statement that his prescription
does not fit Indiana. Perhaps his ideas
may prove to be workable in other
States, but in the Hoosier State, 1t IL
useless for the Secretary to speculate
on the fate of the returning soldier
looking for a job, because, as the fel-
low said in the menagerie, There amt
no such animal BY that1 mean that
the entire matter has been cleared up
by the Indiana people themselves.
Held Reconstruction Meeting.
Immediately after the armistice
was signed we held a largely attended
reconstruction meeting. as we called
it, in Indianapolis. We invited en-
ployers Of labor and laborers from all
around the State, We desired to ac-
complish three things:
First, we desired to obtain an agree
ment. and we obtained 1t, among the
large employers that there should be
no reduction in wages so long as the
cost Of living remains at its present
level, or until the cost goes down.
Second, we desired to get manufac-
turing plants that have been doing
war work readjusted to peaceful pur-
suits with the minimum loss OF time;
and. third, we wanted to promote
Statewide sentiment in favor OF per-
suading the employers-to give the re-
turning soldiers their old positions.
I'VE worked through Major Baltzen,
the Governments draft agent, and ne
asked each draft board to go over the
QUESTIONABLE of each soldier, and then
we wrote to each employer asking II
| the absent soldier would have his Joo
awaiting him when he returned, and
also if he had work for other soldiers.
In the country districts we promptly
received replies, assuring us in 80 per
cent of the cases that the returning
soldier would ,have his old position as
soon as he returned.
Ninety-nve Per Cent. Favorable.
In the manufacturing districts the
| old Jobs are awaiting the men to the
extent Of So per cent. The per cent.
| is accounted for on purely natural
grounds, as many Of the employers
said that since the beginning of the
war they had gone out of business.
In cases where the soldier gave the
name of an employer who had dis
charged him, we suggested to said
employer that the army discipline
might have made better man Of the
former employee. and we asked that
! he be given another trial. In each
| case the answer was favorable. So,
as said before, in Indiana we have
no problem like the one pictured by
Secretary Lane"
! Acknowledging that no selfish State
interest should prevent national action
| which will contribute to the general
|
underlying principles of our Govern
ment, Gov. Goodrich declared that ag-
gressive opposition must be maintained
toward all endeavors which seek TO
transform the free people of our re-
public into mere instrumentalities of
a materialistic paternalisin.
| Wants Properties Restored.
! Nothing would do more to bring
about the restoration of normal condi-
tions and the rehabilitation OF the
country than a definite and immediate
announcement that it would be the
policy OF the Government to restore
as soon as possible to the owners the
properties taken under the war emer-
I! gencies act, under such limitations
and with such measure of control as
will fully protect the public interest.
Little has been gained If by de-
stroying Prussian autocracy we are TO
set up in America under the guise of
democracy an irresponsible. autocratc
federalism
MAJOR CARLIN NOW COLONEL.