The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-05-02
Chief Of staff Says Home Folks
Do Not Understand
Methods.
Big PROBLEMS TO SOLVE
Why the Old Draft Boards Could Not
De used-Provislon Supplied for
All Those In OIstress--6onus
Given to Discharged Men.

Washington. war department
authorizes the following statement
from the Office Of the chief OF staff:
The present system Of demobiliza.
ton does not seem TO be understood
by the people OF the country. As a
fundamental starting point. let us as
sumo that all the selected service men
who have been Indicted into the ser
Vice during the war were removed
from their home communities at one
time. and that upon their departure,
and until their return conditions of
labor and Industry did not change In
the slightest respect In any portion
or the country. Again let us assume
That the conditions of labor and In
dustry having remained exactly the
same, all these selected service men
were returned ut the same moment to
the inches previously held by them In
civil life. Under such assumptions
the entire operation would have been
performed without the slightest Jar to
the industrial conditions of the coun-
try.
This would he nm ideal condition.
but 10 Is based on nh utterly absurd
hypothesis. The selected service men
were not oil lndueted into the service
at one time. Nor did the conditions
of labor and Industry remain I'M
changed after their departure from
their home districts.
Tremendous Problem.
Could the history OF each particular
Job from which employed men had
been withdrawn be traced, could IL
be discovered whether the Job re-
malncd open TO him or whether As
job had been filled by II: could II be
definitely ascertained that Il left
Job which remains open to A: Il
might be possible. were these return
ing men so many spare parts OF
machine. To assign each returning man
definite job. Hut they are not spare
parts of machine. They are human
beings. influenced on the one hand by
home ties, and on the other by vary.
Ing desires and ambitions; and II no
positions which they want are imme.
diately open to them. they. as well IA
the original unemployed. must he grad.
uaily absorbed IN the industrial life of
The nation.
This. then. II the tremendous prob
lem that cunfronts us-to return 10 N
eoaatry whose digestion for labor Ia
not now Of the best hundreds Of thou.
lands OF men without employment. not
forgetting that they and their families
deserve the grateful thanks of the na.
ton. and remaining keenly aware that
their patriotism aud sacrifice demand
that they be given every possible rec
pgnition and favor.
Certain Specific Laws
A certain specific laws govern the
discharge OF soldiers. and their inter.
ests rs well as those of the govern.
ment must be jealously guarded. the
use of local draft boards for the entire
Standardization Of the army would,
among other things. involve the fol.
owing Necessary commissioned and
enlisted personnel for the preparation
~ all records OF each man discharged
'or the reception. storing. care aud
shipment of ali government equipment
turned In by him: for his physical ex,
animation and tnai payment. There
would also be needed facilities for
housing and feeding men. Including
hospital treatment. while awaiting dis
charge.
The machinery necessary ut each
ane OF the local draft boards would de-
pend upon the amount OF work which
IL would be required to do. Abou,
t.6so local draft boards would have TO
Ne provided with this necessary per.
ssnnsl and other facilities mentioned