Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-17
The Old Job or q New One?


One more Of the impossible slogans
OF war and peace is his old job
back" for the returning soldier In
the first place there are some sixty
thousand who will not come back
and as many more that are perma =
nently disqualified TO resume their
former positions. Not a single SOL
nier will come back just the same in
personal equipment, mental, spiritual
or physical. as ne went 70 France,
and even those who got no farther
than Southern training camp have
had their outlook changed. The big
ness Of the job they were called 70 do.
the intimate association Of men from
all walks OF life. the complete change
in the mode Of living. and the thrill!
Of outdoor existence have all COM
bined to make these men bigger and
capable Of filling bigger places. We
cannot expect them 10 be wholly
e@eASA-o' oAh ~ 10 nv 1I5ht IT'D
they should be TO 90 back to running
adding machines or elevators or sell
ing notions over counter.
These things have 10 be done. OF
course. and they were done and done
we'll during The war by women and
girls who wish to keep On doing
them. They did other and bigger
things. TOO, and they. like the men
wish to continue the larger .Ife they
have found.
When the war ends some day and
the peace treaty is signed, and the
President returns 20 his post Of duty,
the time OF reconstruction will begin,
and will go forward with a rush TO
make up for nearly FIVE years Of Joss
and unproductive effort as far as
adding to the worlds store Of ma
terial wealth is concerned. Not only
the loss of goods, but the loss Of mil
lions Of producers in Europe must be
made up, and there will be work
enough for everybody. The jobs
will be man size, and the workers
will be better satisfied with their
work. This country will be richie,
for the experiences Of the war.
In the immediate present, however,
there is work to be done and there
are men who want jobs. All over
the country employers are taking on
returned men because they know
these men are we'll worth taking;
they are in better physical condition,
and are kcener and more alert than
men who have not been out of the
country.
For those who wish 10 continue life
" the open, farm labor opportunities
are without number. Farm labor
has always faced a shortage since the
era Of the s-hour day. The problem
must be met sometime and soon, for
farming is the fundamental industry
If the country but it is not auto
matte. There is plenty Of work in it
that must be done by SOMEBODY. 1t
is generally agreed that the s-hour
day is impossible On farm, there
fore the induccment to win men back
10 the farm must take the form of
higher wages than farmers have re-
ceived. possibly higher than in other
lines of employment
The Syracuse Post Standard has
this to say concerning the need OF
men on the farms, especially return
ing soldiers:
The present is the time 10 return
farmers to the farm if they are to con-
tribute to the volume of food production
Tor the year. The farmer in camp il an
expense to the Government and a total
loss to industry. The farmer on the
farm is an asset Of great value for. as
hoover ngures il. the world is going %
need all that A..-erican farms can pro-
duee this year as il did last. for Europe
is still rationed. Further. the man who
has worked on farm is worth several
VINO have had no experience.
1t Will be a service to the farm boz
IN uniform to let him come home to
work at once. a service to the farmer
VINO needs help. service to the Amer
ican taxpayer who is paying hikh for
the continued maintenance Of an army.
and a service to civilization in need Of
all the food it can get
IL these men are willing to 90 back
to farming under old conditions there
may be hope for the farmers, but we
don't believe they will be at present
wages. II the money which is ex
pended on the upkeep Of the military
establishment plus that used in the
United States Employment Service
were turned into farm wages which
the employer OF farm labor cannot
ahord to pay. to supplement those
which he is willing to pay, We might
see very favo-s BILE tide OF soldiers