Arizona republican., 1919-02-09
Makinu Endowment


 X meeting has been called 10 be held in this city today under the auspices of organized labor that is Co say the Phoenix Trades Council for the purpose of forming a Soldiers Sailors and Worlmen's Council. The object we understand Of it, is to provide em- poymcnt for the returning soldiers well for all eho may be out of work.
 That the wholesale, uusystematc restoration of soldiers to private life, wild. indscriminate dcmob- lizatiou. in which the department is boastingy trying make record for needless speed is causing great distress in many parts of the country is true. A serious situation has been created.
 But Phoenix is fortunately crcumstanced, and on inquiry we have learned that demobilizaton has produced very slight local affect Most of the boys who went from this locality from farms stores and shops. and as they came back they have places to which they go. A great many of the demobilized men from other parts of the country strangers have drrtcd in on tours of reconnaissance Some of them want Co stay and some, move on; some want employ mont but others do not want it immediately
 Two official employment bureaus report that they have had applications from only about twenty-five soldiers and in most cases, only employment of satisfactory character desired. We also learn that the trains on the two main lines carrying many broke soldiers and in that condition have made their way into and of Phoenix through the Kindness of trainmen. But evidently very few of the men SO reported by the trainmen have stopped at any rate they have not applied to the employment bureau.
 Phoenix is an agricultural town. It offers. espec- ally in mid-wntcr. a narrow field for employment. We have no important industries working large num- bcrs of men. and We do not see how the organization Of "a Soldiers. Sailors and workmens council is so- ing to create more work to be done.
 We further understand. though. that that is not really the purpose of the organization. The aim is Co subdiyde the existing jobs without subdividng vagcsto cut down the hours of labor that it will require more men to do the work. The success of this plan will depend largely in the margin of profit now made by the employers If 1t is a pretty close margin they cannot Of course, afford to enter into tho plan If their profits sufficiently large to enable them Co cooperate. they still might decline to do SO.
 Tho plan of subdividns the jobs does not promise effective relief What is needed is more jobs giving greater play 10 efficiency and resulting in greater production To crowd two men into the space now occupied by man, three into places now filled by two. would be to repress efficiency.
 What We need is not an effort 10 make something out of nothing but 10 make more jobs. In that all should cooperate. t is not only profitable 10 do SO but it is patriotic. No time should be lost in making an opening for hundreds of the highways of Che state Every man who contemplatos building or improvement. for his own good as we'll as for those who will need work should do it soon
 Wble as have said, the unemployment situa- ton in Phoenix IS a serious one and is not a more than ordinarily troublesome and if it left alone. that is if only the workers who away should return would become serious. there is boand to be a splashing over of unemployment from other and distant localities. We will have that ques- ton to deal with and should get ready for it.
 1t not be solved even touched by the reso- lutons of any organization It he relieved only by the creation Of employment and employment is needed anyhow. Employment by the way. is thing more than the mere occupation Of a place for certain number of hours and the drawing Of a fixed amount Of money 1t is the production for the benefit society Of results of that occupation The greater the production the greater the benefit to society and the greater the relief 10 the unemployed. It is the duty of the nation find work for the who need it. and especially for the men who have back from the It is less the duty Of the state, the county. the city and the community. The task will require the cooperation Of a It will bc the eternal disgrace Of the country if these men should be left unprovided for. We might well doubt whether it worth all the blood and gold that has been spent to make it safe.