Evening star., 1919-04-06
suited and their preferences subor
dinated.
TEeir Obligation Discharged.

TEe1r Obligation Discharged.
Now they have performed the serv-
Ice desired by their country-by their
efforts and their lives they have won
peace through war. The government
now has duty-yes, far more than a
duty-the kind of obligation that ex-
lists between people not bound by le-
gal contract. but bound by mutual
trust, interest and confidence. The
soldier has served his country; the
country cannot rest contented il it
simply casts him off to shift for him.
self. 1t must make all the effort that
government properly can to help to
restore him to the same place in civil
life. or a better one, from which 1t
took him
The specious narrow minded argu-
ment has been heard that the War
Department has nothing more to do
with men who have been in service
after it gives them the last pay, the
last mileage allowance and the sixty
dollar advance. On the contrary. the
War Department in this work is not
trying to see how little it is justified
in doing for the men, but feels strong
ly the moral obligation and the privi-
lege Of service. Soldiers and sailors
are all better men than they were
before they went to war. To put it
moderately. they are now the best
body of men that history records.
Old Jobs Generally Open.
Employers of the country have gen.
orally put themselves on record as
saying that they will give the old jobs
back to all their men when they re-
turn from the national service. The
employer who does not do this is a
| rare exception. However. many of the
u hn hoN an1-
somewhat reluctant to take their old
positions back. They think they are
! worth something better. 1 believe
| they are undoubtedly right in this
| belief in most cases. The ambition to
improve their lot in life is thor
can characteristic, and the country is
proud to foster and encourage it.
The difficulty of this is that the pres
ent industrial situation is depressed
and uncertain, that it is not the most
lpropitious time for men to hold out for
| Immediate advancement. We urge
! men,. while not giving up their am
! bition to do better. for the time being
| to take up the old work, and from the
| vantage point of the old look for the
new, and take it as soon as condi-
tions permit"
every soldier and sailor returning to
the United States, given as earnest,
| straight from the-shoulder and for
ward looking. This fighting front
established, Col. Woods is proceeding
with organization Of the emergency
committee so that it will have a Co,
ordinating as we'll as a definite con-
| structive influence upon the employ
ment situation. 1t already has ar
ranged for cooperation with the
bureaus for returning soldiers and
sailors established by the federal en-
ployment service and for collabora-
tion with various departments and
; agencies of the government working
on any phase of the problem.
1t is the hope that funds from private
sources will be generously applied to
the work. as they have been to the
maintenance of many of the activities
OF the bureaus for returning soldiers
throughout the country. Many who
were bewildered by the outlook when
Congress failed to pass the appropria-
tion legislation which wotild have con-
tinued the full activities Of the United
states employment service which has
obtained work for 100000 persons q
day up to the present time. find hone
In the new emergency committee and
| in Col. Woods dogged determination.
Unequal Labor Distribution.
Related to all this is very sig
| nificant problem which is now being
worked out in the War Departi11 ent.
| in consultation with the Special
| emergency committee, and that ia
the question Of the demobilization
of troops nearer their home towns.
This Is an element that seriously af-
+. fects the employment Of the men. for
| representatives of many communities
have communicated with the com :
| mittee and with the authorities at
Washington. bringing to their at
| tenion the fact that men who have
] been in Europe come back, are de-
mobilfzed at or near large cities, and
| there remain. few being contented,
| and few sometimes having the bare
| caffare to return to remote sections
| where lie their home farms or pre-
war occupations. The isolated COM
| munities thus lose their normal labor
| resources, and the cities and large
| towns thereby becoming glutted with
| applications for work This would be
| entirely relieved, and a great service
| done the communities and the men
! themselves If they were demobilized
| at the draft board whence they came,
according to many who have studied
the difficulty. They are known at
their local boards; their vocational
abilities are on record: their personal
histories are familiar and one mans
/! troubles are the community's. Instead
of rehabilitation deVoiving upon the
| returning soldier as an individual
| mobilization at the home port
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