The Irish standard., 1919-03-01
(By c. P. Al

represent the hierarchy of the Catholic |
Church In America in the administra-
tion of the National Catholic War
Council. an official pronouncement on I
the social and economic reconstruction +
problems facing this nation has been
issued from the headquarters Of this
church council In Washington. D. G.
The document bears the signatures Of !
Bishop Peter ]. Muldoon of Rackford, |
ILL.,; Bishop Joseph Schrembs Of To- |
ledo. O.: Bishop Patrick ]. Hayes of /
New York City and Bishop William T. |
Russell Of Charleston. s. c.. and reads
in part as follows:
ForeWord.
"The ending of the Great War has
brought peace. But the only safeguard
of peace is social Justice and con-
tented people. The deep unrest so EN-.
phatically and so widely voiced
throughout the world is the most seri-
Gus menace to the future peace of
every nation and of the entire world.
Great problems face us. They cannot
be put aside; they must be met and
solved with justice to all.
"In the hope of stating the lines that
will best guide us in their right solu-
tion the following pronouncement is
issued by the Administrative Commit
tee of the National Catholic War Coun-
Gil.
Replacement Of Men in Service.
"The first problem in the process
of reconstruction is the industrial re-
placement of the discharged soldiers
and sailors. The majority of these
will undoubtedly return to their previ-
GUS occupations. However, a very
large number of them will either find
their previous places closed to them or
will be eager to consider the possibility
Of more attractive emp1oyments. The
most important single measure for
meeting this situation that has yet
been suggested is the placement Of
such men on farms. Several months
ago Secretary Lane recommended to
Congress that returning soldiers and
sailors should be given the opportunity
to work at good wages upon some part
of the millions upon millions of acres
of arid, swamp and cut-over timber
lands in order to prepare them for cul-
tivation. President Wilson, in his an
nual address to Congress, endorsed the
proposal. AS fast as this preliminary
task has been performed the men
should be assisted by government
loans to establish themselves as farm
ers, either as owners or as tenants
having longtime leases.
Farm Colonies.
1T is essential that both the work OF
preparation and the subsequent settle
ment of the land should be effected by
groups or colonies, not by men living
independently of one another and in
depressing isolation.
"A plan of this sort is already in
Operation in England. The importance
Of the project as an item of any social
reform program is obvious. It would
afford employment to thousands upon
thousands, would greatly increase the
number of farm owners and independ
ent farmers and would tend to lower
the cost of living by increasing the
amount of agricultural products. If il
is to assume any considerable proper
tions it must be carried out by the gov
ernments of the United States and o
the several States. Should it be under
taken by these authorities and oper
ated on systematic and generou:
scale it would easily become one of the
most beneficial reform measures tha
has ever been attempted.
Employment Service.
"The reinstatement of the soldiers
and sailors in urban industries will n,
doubt be facilitated by the Unitet
States Employment Service. Thi
agency has attained a fair degree o
development and efficiency during tn
| WdI. OuAOIIuudtcly lnST0 1S 6Ou0 udu
ger that it will go out of existence o
, be greatly weakened at the end of tn
period of rehabilitation. 1t is the OF
, vious duty of Congress to continue an
! strengthen this important institution
, The problem of unemployment is wit
us always. Its solution requires tn
Incorporation of many agencies and tn
use of many methods, but the primar
and indispensable instrument is a n:
5 tional system of labor exchanges ac
ing. in harmony with state, municiDs
e and private employment bureaus.
Women War Workers.
zone of the most important pro1
= lens of readjustment is that create
by the presence in industry of in
y mense numbers of women who hav
f taken the places of men during th