The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-02-24
"Ration Available Jobs" Is Plan
Advanced by Mayor of Detroit
WORKERS And
SERVICE men
TO ALTERNATE
ny MILTON BRoNNER

ny MILTON BR0>NER
DETROIT. Feb. si.-nuring
war. food and fuel were virtual
~ raiiottcd by Uncle sam 10 that
thcsc would he enough To 20
around and supply the vital
nocslS Of all. During this r-ad.
iustmont period u might BE- well
60 ration jobs, 40 n TO talo care
81 tho returned soldiers and
sailors and all other mrn anxious
Ca work. but unable nj present to
secure employment.
This II tho original view OF ne.
trolls original mayor. James Coux.
ems. who promises 20 bo hs breezy
and independent AZ this towns other
famous mayor--p ingrce. OF potato
patch fame.
couzens. about so. Is credited with
having million dollars for every
year OF his aEc. lilo landed here IN
his youth as car checker In rail-
road yard. lie later started In with
Henry Ford and participated In tho
auto kings marvellous fairy tale rise
to untold riches. Unlike some 9th.
crs. courens IL stin on good terms
with Ford. and IL still a director in
the Ford concern. His riches haven't
spoiled him. lie retains the dernoc.
facy OF the car checker. And he
puts In a ten.hour day mayorlng.
working from IN the morning un.
al a; night | asked him 70 tell
mo about his labor rauoniag plan.
Vision l. Needed
Il firs, uprang that on g Of our
biggest manufacturer aaid he. III
fell on absolutely deaf ears. They
called me a visionary. wish 90
heaven some Of them would develop
little vision. Kings and queens In
thu political world foil bccaus. they
did no, know and were not intelii.
gent enough 90 forcace the needs OF
their people"
courrnn paused lie did no, pur.
sue the subject. lie let me draw my
, own conclusions as TO what might
happen TO our Industrial kings II
they continued blind and DEAF 20
what was going on around them.
There Is unemployment 10 a con.
siderable extent In this city right
now" he continued finally. but II
may /. worse when our Detroi; sol.
di~rs b-Efn 10 come home don't
want 20 see Detroit with soup
kitchens. with bread tlnes. with men
so desperate they are tempted 20
crime. and 10 hungry and cold they
iisten readily 20 uoi.hrvsk agitators
Councilman ricikuan introduced
IN council resolution cmbodying
my idea II was adopted unanimous.
~. IL ~ merely n RECOMMENDATION
70 our employers or labor. II asked
tina. returned soldiers. as far an
I practicable. BE- given Jobs In prefer
ence to men now employed who
were not subject 90 immediate draft
or who were exempt because they
were friendly ancna. We had 10 600
Of the latter class. who were draw.
ing big wages while our boys we're
away.
The resolution also recommended
employers install a schedule OF en-
pioyment whereby particular needs
OF Individuals could he considered 70
no injury could be worked Under
this every person desiring work
may be employed for part % each
wage period in such proportions az
may prevent him from want and.
at tho same time. give a chance 90
citizen soldiers ana others who are
also anxious to work.
How Plan Would Work
Let IN make this concrete. 4
don't propose 20 disturb any Of IN.
men who do highly specialized
engineers and certain kinds Of ma.
chinists. Nor would ! disturb men
with wives and children dependent
upon them. But there are many
men engaged in moro or less ortiin.
airy labor or things purely rnochan.
| icai and standardized and who have
| no dependents For instance,
could take the payroll Of the Ford
company. with Its 10000 names. and
pick out 5000 men OF this class.
| Under my plan. would say to them
that they had been working stead.
| lily all during the war and mus,
have saved up some money. There
fore. they could lay off for n month
without serious injury 20 them.
| selves and without serious disturb
ance 20 the work at tho plant. Dur.
ing that month I would put In their
| places returned soldiers and nailors
and others keen for work. They
would thus alternate month in.
month out. until this present dis.
turbed condition was ended.
"One chump manufacturer said
he did not propose to have people
interfering with his business. lie
expected to hire and fire. and pay
I wages as he saw fit. Others thought
the rationing system would NO upset
their business that they would sus.
tain losses. or course. what they
really felt was that u would be
some trouble 20 rearrange payroIls.
I publicly stated II any manufac.
turer feared the practicability OF tho
plan. he should give me a free hand
| 10 run his business long enough to
/ try ~ out. offered TO back up my
faith by guaranteeing him against
financial loss.
Some Adopt Idea
80 far" said the mayor with
smile, "one OF them has taken me
up. But received some encourag.