The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-03
GREAT SCARCITY
Of LABOR IN THE
U.S.PREDICTED
Shortages Already Are Report.
ed From Detroit, Akron
and Flint

NEW" YORK, May 9.-Notwithstand-
hing the return or the men OF the Ameri-
can cSpcditionary- force tho country will
be confronted by q shortage Of labor
in 1920 In the opinion expressed here
to-day, Of Colonel Arthur Woods. special
assistant to the secretary of war.
Basing his conviction both on his own
Investigation OF the industrial situ-
at4on from the Mississippi river to the
Atlantic scaboard and US far south as
Baltimore and on reports made TO him
here today by members OF the board OF
directors. Of the National Association OF
Employment Managers. Colonel Woods
declared that employers everywhere
were showing a disposition 10 give jobs
to discharged soldiers and sailors. and
! that the time was approaching when
every man released from service would
be at work and there would be positions
unified - e-..-..-.--- -. $500 '--' d '.'
Shortage Reported.
Reports made by the employment
ed at meeting here. showed that
already there arc labor shortage at q
number Of great industrial ccuters IN
cinding Detroit and Flint. Michigan,
Akron, Ohio and that a labor shortage
is in sight In Cleveland.
Colonel Woods went to the meeting
today to. seek in cooperation Of the EN-
ployment managers and found them
eager to employ the "doughboy'' and
tar returning TO civil life. He was
informed BY A. L Rcctanus. YounEs-
town. Ohio. employment manager Of tho
American Roller Mill company and
president OF the association, that tho
employment managers assembled repre-
sented the sentiment of the vast ma
jority Of American employers. 1t -
Iestimated these employers have as many
as ten million men under them. Col
onel Woods said after IN" mceting:
Everyone with whom I talked said
That the best buy for an employer
vas a discharged soldier in his employ.
7 asked these different employment man.
ayers what their experience had been.
Jobs For Soldiers.
&c. W. Parker. Of Chicago. secretary
Of the association and president OF the
Chicago branch, representing such firms
as rS-Roebuck,' International liar-
vester and Western Electric. said they
were taking all soldiers back and that
the employment managers in that neigh
borhood regarded the returned soldier
as q real asset
ralph Wells. employment manager
OF the Dupont companies, said these
companies were absolutely committed to
the policy OF taking back all soldiers and
saHors:
Colonel Woods said similar reports
we're made from oil industrial centrals,
Ben Bartlett president of the Cleveland
branch. reported all Cleveland soldiers
were being taken back. President Null
hauser, of the Baltimore district, speak
ing for the Atlantic Coast ShipbuildcrS.
Baltimore Employment managers and
the Baltimore Dry Docks. reported that
before the arnistice was signed tho cm-
ploycrs had worked out u plan 10 take
back all employees and had advertised
the jobs as open to these men. Not
only were former employees rcinstated
but service men generally were given
preference
a similar report was made by Mr..
Rectanus regarding the American Roller
Mill company. where service as a fight
ing man is counted as continual ser
vice with the company and with pref
ercntial list favoring these men gener-
but, and east Orange, New Jersey. where
the Edison interests are centerod. Col
oncl Woods said equally favorable con-
ditions prevailed.
At the conference the managers
adopted resolutions rcRfflrmirg their
policy and they will appoint u man in
every large industrial center 10 coop
crate with Colonel Woods agents
through the country.