The Holly chieftain., 1919-03-13
tee of the National Catholic War coun-

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. 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 employments. The
most important single measure for
meeting this situation that has yet
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-0ver timber
lands in order to prepare them for cul-
tivation. President Wilson, In his an
pual address to Congress, endorsed the
proposal. AZ fast as this preliminary
task has been performed the men
should be assisted by government loans
to establish themselves as farmers,
either as owners or a. tenants having
longtime leases.
Farm Colonies.
L. fnl <ho< ~ 90
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. 1t 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 it
Is to assume any considerable proper.
tions 1t must be carried out by the gov
ernments of the United States and OF
the several States. Should It be under
taken by these authorities and oper-
ated ON a systematic and generous
scale it would easily become one of the
most beneficial reform measures that
has ever been attempted.
Employment Service.
"The reinstatement Of the soldiers
and sailors in urban industries will no
doubt be facilitated by the United
States Employment Service This
agency has attained fair degree OF
development and efficiency during the
war. Unfortunately there is some dan
ger that 1t will 60 out Of existence or
be greatly weakened ut the end Of the
period OF rehabilitation. It is the OBJ
vious duty Of Congress to continue and
strengthen this important institution.
us always. Its solution requires the
cooperation OF many agencies and the
use Of many methods, but the primary
and Indispensable instrument is ma
tional system of labor exchanges act
ing in harmony with State, municipal
and private employment bureaus.
Women War Workers.
zone of the most important prob
lens Of readjustment is that created
by the presence in Industry of i'm
mense numbers of women who have
taken the places Of men during the
war. Mere Justice, to say nothing Of
chiyalry, dictates that these women
should not be compelled to suffer any
greater loss or Inconvenience than ia
absolutely necessary, for their services
to the nation have been second only to
the services Of the men whose placer
they were called upon to nll. One
general principle Is clear: No female
worker should remain In any occupa-
ton that Is harmful to health or NOR
ais. Women should disappear as quick
ly as possible from such tasks as con-
ducting and guarding street cars, clean
ing locomotives and great number Of
other activities for which conditions Of
life and their physique render them
unfit. Another general principle is that
the proportion Of women in industry
ought to be kept within the smallest
practical limits. II we have an efa-
cient national employment service. IL .
goodly number Of the returned soldiers
and sailors are placed on the land and
II wages and the demand for goods are
kept up to the level which il easily at.
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