Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-14
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICE FORCE
CUT 80 PER CENT
Reduction NeCeSSitated by
Lack Of Funds; Work Of
Placing Soldiers Will
Be Continued.

Washington, March 13.-Reduc-
ton of 80 per cent in the force OF
the United States employment serv-
ice, effective March p was an
nounced today by Director General
Densmore. This was made neces-
sary, it was explained, by the failure
Of congress TO provide funds to con-
.inue the work. Mr.. Densmore said
The number OF employment Offices
would be reduced from $50 to So,
but that none of the work in direct
connection with the return of sol
diers and sailors to civilian employ
ment would be discontinued.
The reduction Of the employment
service cuts it to the bone" said
DR.. Densmore. "The special work in
placing engineers and other highly
trained men, persons handicapped
by old age and physical disability,
vocational guidance for juveniles,
the trade tests for skilled workers
and the training Of employment ex-
aminers must all cease March 22.
Skeleton Organization Maintained.
The maintenance of a skeleton
administrative organization in
Washington and the states and the
continuance of camp representatives,
soldiers bureaus and the clearance
system, together with So branch Of
fees in strategic industrial centers,
will, however, permit the directing
Of national employment work by the
employment service and enable it to
resume full operation when congress
appropriates funds" ..
Secretary Wilson, in a statement
tonight explaining the plan for re-
tanning a skeleton organization of
the service, disclosed that the SER
vice could not draw on President
Wilson's $lO0000,000 war emergency
fund because practically all of it has
been spent or pledged.
After the urgency deficiency bill
was killed in the filibuster in The
closing hours of the last session OF
The senate, Secretary Wilson appeal
ed to the president. He received
This reply by radio from the presi-
Dental ship, George Washington at
sea;
Regret nothing so much as the
discontinuance of the work of the
employment service bureau, but the
TACT is that including pledges made
NV fund is practically exhausted.
What remains would not suffice to
maintain the bureau and to my great
grief, / see no escape from disband-
ment. hope that it will be- pos
sible to keep skeleton organiza-
ton"
Service to be Reorganized.
Secretary Wilson announced that
.he employment service would be
reorganized on basis that would
enable it to utilize the voluntary
services Of individuals and organiza-
lions to continue the work of find
ng places for returned soldiers and
sailors
Fortunately" said Secretary Will
son the employment service in car
wing out the work entrusted to its
charge had organized l,57S conf
munit yboards aud nearly 1000
bureaus for returning soldiers with
out expense to the government and
had secured the cooperation of the
council Of national defense, the state
ard municipal employment agencies.
the Ave great welfare associations
engaged in war work, and other
church and welfare organizations in
locating work for denobilized sol
diers and war workers. The hearty
cooperation of those agencies has
been assured in tiding over the in
terim until the recovering OF con-
gress.
I'VE shall maintain our represent
latives in the rehabilitation camps
and shall keep right on getting the
records Of soldiers returning on the
transports and forwarding them to
the bureaus for returning soldiers
and will maintain an administrative
organization in Washington and
each Of the states to direct the work
and about 50 employment officers
in the principal industrial centers.
"Inasmuch as the deficiency item
passed the house unanimously and
was unanimously reported by, the
appropriations committee in the SEN
ate, we are confident that as soon as
congress meets sufficient funds will
le made available to continue the
work which 10 being done in finding
positions for returning soldiers'and
civilian workers"
Unemployment Increasing.
While Mr.. Densmore was sending
orders today to federal directors Of
the service for the states, reports
reaching headquarters here showed
there had been heavy increase in
unemployment during the past five
days. 90 per cent of the reporting
Industrial eenters having large labor
SURPRISES. This fact, together with
the fact that the work of the 1000
bureaus for returning soldiers is
Closely allied with that of the SER
vice, led the directors general to pre-
dict that most of the zoo employ
ment bureaus would be maintained
bv the communities in which they
are located,
Mr.. Densmore announced today
the arrival in France of Harold
Stone, national superintendent of
the bureau for returning soldiers and
sailors. who has been commissioned
to arrange for putting soldiers on
the transports and in the embarka-
tion points in touch with the iob--
finding facilities of the employment
service in this country. Mr.. Stone
will continue his work.
Wnn,on covoroIU