New-York tribune., 1919-05-05
PastOrsDen1and
Idle Soldiers
Be Given Jobs
Patriotic and Religious Duty
TO See That the Men Who
Fought Our Battles Are
Employed, They Insist
Serious, Says kirchwey
IInskilIed Men Are Greatest
Problem at Present, En-
ployment Director Ayers

plOyment Director Ayers
Appeals for jobs for discharged sol
diers. sailors and marines We're mad,
Yesterday from the pulpits of churche:
all over the country. Employer!
everywhere were told, in sermon:
preached in observance of Employment
Sunday, that it was an economic a:
we'll as religious and patriotic duty
TO find work for the returning fighters
In New York, where churches of al
denominations heartily co0perated IL
pointing out the immediate need fol
finding 900 or more jobs, the sit
uation was intensified by a statement
from Dr. George ". Kirchwey, Fedora
director of the United States Employ
men Service. that the return from Eu-
rope of 2O0O0 900 more fighters during
the next few months will make the un-
employment problem more serious.
Eighty Per Cent Civilians
DR.. Kirchwey asserted that 80 pei
cent of the unemployed here now are
civilians, and that every civilian who
is discharged 70 make room for uni
formed man will swell the unemployed
ranks
Unemployment is not chimera
nor an invention of alarmists," saic
DR.. Kichwey.
the Rev. Percy Stickney Grant, Of
the Church of the Ascension, told his
pa-;shoners that it woud be a "crime
tc permit a single man who risked his
life for his country to go without 6
jon"
We are not patriotic if we are in
different TO the welfare of our return
ing fighters" said DR.. Grant "If we
have no business or factory in which
we can make a place for a soldier we
should find him a JOB among oul
friends"
The plea in the Catholic churches
was made through the knights of Co
lumbus. Frank ". Smith, chairman
of the Knights of Columbus War Ac
tivities Committee, said employer:
were reached through these appeals.
Patriotic and Economic Duty
At the suggestion. of Bishop Davic
H. Greer all of the Episcopal churches
called attention to the significance o.
Employment Sunday Bishop Greer
himself pointed out that employment
of the discharged service men was ar
economic as we'll as a patriotic duty.
Part Of the sermon of the Rev. Johr
Haynes Holmes, of the Church of the
Messiah. was devoted to a talk on un-
employment. 1T is an opportunity for
US to show how practical our patriot
ISM is said Mr.. Holmes.
The widespread observance of en-
ployment Sunday shows that the indif-
ference of the country to the dangers
OF unemployment has at last given way
TO perception of the facts" said DR.
Kirchwey.
General unemployment, as a result
of the dislocation of industry caused
by the war. is an indisputable fact not
TO be disposed Of by shutting our eyes
to It or by optimistic talk about the
revival Of industry a few months
hence.
Skilled Labor Always Needed
Much is being made of the dis
closure at a meeting of the Nationa
Association of Employment Managers
held here last week, that there is {
shortage of skilled labor There al
some kind. There has been such e
shortage ever since the signing of the
a-mlstice. At the very time when the
general condition OF unemployment
vas steadily rising to maximum
Taere was skilled labor shortage, ever
'nougn normal industry was laying of.
more men than it was taking on Ir
other words, when a rapid revival o1
the automobile and other kinds ot
mechanical business was creating a de-
mand for skilled labor that could not
be satisfied thousands of unskillec
workers could not find jobs.
Last weeks figures from Washing
ton, covering every important indus
trlai centre, show that unemployment
Is not being increased through the
continued shrinkage OF industry in
general.
Problem Of Coming Months
II this condition holds it may be
assumed that the worst is over and
tnat our chief problem during the next
le~ months VIII be to take care of
some 100000 returning soldiers, sail
o1a and marines IN addition to the
~IMoer er Of workers now out Of en-
II must not be forgotten that at
.sas1 % FER cent Of the people out Of
..Iploymeat today are civilians, and
shat 'ais number will be Increased by
esery man or woman who is dis
charged to make room for the return
ing service men"
rive thousand Jobs are needed i'm
'.9 .n'sa9iately to satisfy applications filed
WIZ the Reem ployment Bureau Com
Ma.t,ss, sos Pearl Street. Alfred l..
nNltn' .' executive secretary, announced
ieseefoay tnat hearty responses were
.s"g feceITed TO appeals sent by let
tst % 10000 employers. In the five
az ended yesterday 1920 Jobs were
sneree. Mr.. Smith said that aim ost
.S'seie tnat mum ber will be required
S,.s. - week 70 meet the demands Of men
~'s'Aarsed from the 77th Division.
Needs Of UnskiIIed Men
e. "na. we need most Of all are Jobs
srs a2r unskilied workers." said Mr.. Smith.
me slreetz are crowded with fine
."s lRss OF men who are known az un-
sN..iea workers. Many Of them after
sno't experience would be capable Of
.''ns skilled work. They need only
De gwen chance. We also want
tsDs bnm eaiately for 200 clerks. book.
ggFfs aad general clerical workers" /"
fse comm ittee received a report
H. q" employer Wno mad taken back
a. '.1'N osrz q returned men. Sixty
so pr cent ~ the men Who returned
- Hbfk enowed 4 remarkable ironrove1
.,.s yas.s. ~ initiative and keenncgs ag q
s' sFas oi army training; 32 per cent
6sd ,@opuf tne same, and per cent
"4' leSsened in value.
michigan Needs Workers.