New-York tribune., 1919-03-18

WASHINGTON, March 17-Colonel
Arthur Woods, special assistant to
the Secretary OF War to handle en-
ployment Of discharged soldiers, pre-
sided to-day over the first meeting of
the Emergency Committee on En-
ployment for Soldiers and Sailors or
ganized by the United States Council
of National Defence. The meeting
was held in the office of Director
Clarkson. !
Present were Franklin D. Roose-
welt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy;
E. N. Hurley, Chairman of the United
States Shipping Board; Nathan A.
Smyth, Assistant Director General of
the United States Employment Ser
vice; G. l. Christie, Assistant Secre-
tary of Agriculture; B. S. Cutler,
chief and R. E. MacElwee, Assistant
Chief of the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce.; Mathew Woll,
American Federation of Labor; FL
liot Goodwin, General Secretary,
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States of America: d. J. Ayers. of
the Department of the Interior; John
W. Halowell, A. L. Brunson, repre-
sentng Charles A. Prosser. director
of the Federal Board for Vocational
Education; Grosvenor B. Clarkson,
director, and D. M. Reynolds, assistant
to the director, United States Council
of National defence; E. H. Green
wood, secretary to the committee.
In opening the meeting Director
Clarkson said:
he council seeks merely to tie in
the loose ends of the employment sit
uation, both here in Washington and
throughout the country. and to act as
a clearing house of action for the pur-
pose of concentrating and utilizing as
rapidly as possible all agencies deal
ing with the unemployment problem"
Colonel Woods said: at is not only
the solemn obligation, but it is the
privilege of the government to help
return to civil life the men whose
can only be done by helping to find
suitable employment for such men as
find themselves upon their discharge
from the army or navy without jobs.
"These men do not want charity;
what do they want, and what they
have righto to demand, is the aid
which the government car properly
give them IN returning TO civil lie as
self supporting members of their COM
munties.
''ln taking up this work it is not my
intention that the committee shall i'm
mediately create an elaborate machine
for the finding of employment-a great
deal of this machinery already exists.
"As I see it, our problem is not one
of the ma ajority of discharged soldiers
and sailors, but very largely one of the
minority. / find that a very large
proportion of the men discharged from
the army and navy do not need as
sistance in finding employment they
are either returning to their old jobs
or find employment themselves"
Colonel Woods pointed out that
nothing could be accomplished by
creating sentiment which would re-
suit in the ruthless discharge of
worthy civilians in order to make
places for soldiers and sailors.
MIR. Goodwin, general secretary of
United States, stated that up to the
present time the chambers of COM
never been appealed to as class to
assist in this work.
1t was announced that this appeal
was now being made, and Mr.. Goodwin
said that he felt there would be 100
per cent response.
committee on plans will prepare a
comprehensive plans of operations and
submit it, with recommendations. at
the next meeting.