Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-16
Build Now /!
BY Fred rir ]. HaskIn

the department pI LABOR.
The immediate resumption Of this work
and the imitation OF as much more neces-
sary construction work as the private and
public capital Of the country can carry
are the only measures that can avert an
era Of unemployment and labor unrest
with all the injury to business and 6nan-
cial conditions which inevitably accom-
pany such condition, in the opinion Of
Labor Department officials. II is for this
reason that the Labor Department has
created new division-that Of Public
Works and CONSTRUCTION Development
This division will cooperate with States,
cities and individuals wishing 10 under
take constructive work.
During the war the Labor Department
built up machinery which became very
effective in the work Of finding men for jobs
II now faces the problem of finding jobs
for men.
The seriousness Of that problem can
scarcely be exaggerated. Soldiers are now
being discharged at the rate OF about
Is, 900 day. and many Of them have no
work TO turn to. The labor well has al
| ready ovcrfiowed, and only prompt ac-
| tion can avert n flood.
The administration Is at work on the
preliminary investigation for measure
| which will provide for the reclamation OF
thousands of square miles Of swamp and
cut-over land, and the making OF the re-
claimed areas into farms for soldiers ms
| work would give employment To an army
But the measure is not even formulated as
yet, and when it comes before congress
it will be months before its passage. Inc
present emergency must be met by the
State and city government and by private
capital. -,
The work Of this new division will be
primarily Ia bring capital and labor to-
gether so as TO obtain the best results. IL
will assist the leaders in the building in
dustry by giving them expert advice apd
information relative tn the demand fbr
building in all parts of the country. IL VIII
aid labor by providing employment To
large numbers Of soldiers and workmen
discharged from war plants.
The Advice given will be expert, because
professional men have been called upon 70
handle this work +. T. Miller, who ls
organizing the work, is a wellknown pub
! Usher Of industrial publications. The IN
vestiga tions and inquiries will be directed
by group Of economists and special
investigators, supplied by the Depart
ment Of Labor and other government de-
partments, or borrowed from universities
SURVEY or THE COUNTRY.
This group Of economists and business
men will make q thorough survey Of the
country and collect statistics in regard "a
price and supply of building materials
| the amount of labor available and Its
cost. the values Of land, prevailing rents
the supply Of capital, and the amount oi
construction held up by the war.
This data will be available for the use
Of any community or builder in determIn.
| ing whether IL is advisable TO undertake
| public or private construction in a given
place
The Department of Labor will also
conduct an active campaign TO encourage
building operations. II Is expected that
the building industry will respond to this
heartily. for ever since the beginning OF the
European War construction has decreased
until now il is practically at standstlii.
The increase In rents is indicative of the
shortage of houses.
II must not be supposed, however, that
the Department of Labor will encourage
building just for the sake OF the employ
ment it will give The new DIVISION Of
Public Works and Construction Develop
ment will be very careful not 70 stimulate
economically unsound enterprises.
A point 10 be emphasized is the advis-
ability OF beginning building operations
! immediately One reason for the serious
labor situation at the close OF the Civil
War, was that building was then limited
to short seasons. Now operations can be
carried on as far north as New York 10
the coldest weather Modern science Is
fast overcoming nature by such inventions
as electric rlveters and the use OF steam IN
thawing out the frozen ground. For
instance, all the zround-breaklng and
foundation work at Hog Island Ship
yard was done in the dead of winter last
year.
TO RESUME MUNICIPAL WORK.
The Department OF Labor viii urge
the completion Of the subway and elevated
lines under construction in Philadelphia,
and other similar work in large cities.
Inquiries from Harrisburg Pa. show that
municipality is getting ready 70 go ahead
with municipal projects delayed by the
war The demand for residential and bust
ness construction in Washington, D G,
is greater than ever before. Chicago has
a union station 10 complete.
AT the close of the war the Department
of Labor estimated the labor shortage
at one million workers This shortage
has now disappeared entirely. and the
scales are already tipping the other way
1t is quite clear that this situation IS
only temporary, but it is also quite clear
that it will be worse before it is better.
That is, at the present time only small
percentage of the navy and about one
fifth of the army have been demobilized.
Add to the number of soldiers and sailors
soon to be discharged the vast army of
those engaged in war occupations, who
will be turned off on account of contract
cancellations, and you get an idea OF the
condition that is coming. The labor market
will be flooded long before the manu-
featuring industries will be ready 10 alb
sorb their share of labor and long before
the farmers are ready for the army of
hands" which they will demand in
time.
The temporarily Of this situation may
minimize It's seriousness In the eyes of
governments and employers but the
soldier who hiss Just received his discharge
Nsnd the munition worker who has been
gwen notice are not SO interested In the
jobs that await them next summer or
the big opportunities that will come in the
fall They want to know how they can