New-York tribune., 1919-05-21
Return of Industry to Nor
NAL Will Find Job Seek
ing t h e Nj a IA, He
Tells Manufacturers
Tax Tangles Explained
Resolution Favoring Return
of Railroads 10 Owners
Adopted by Convention

~ tho country at the Waldorf Astoria
Yesterday. predicted that when Amer
;ran industry returns to it's normal
scbedule it Will he short almost 1000,
.ooo workers. Herbert L. Miles, di
rector of the division of Training of
the T. s. Department of Labor, further
smphasized the possibility of the
sbortage Of labor in the near future, as
Aid also Stephen c. Mason, president
of the National Association of Manu-
facturers, under the auspices of which
the meeting was held.
Colonel Woods made an eloquent ap-
deal for the return Of discharged
soldiers and sailors to their former
jobs.
.aWhat the boys want" he said "is
a real welcome home. Put your heart
into the greeting when they come
hack. These boys returning from over
there have different ideal than they
did before they left. They want to do
something worth while and we will
have to make things worth while to
keep up with them. They may ap-
near restless, but it is only their de-
sire TO be at something worth doing"
He told the manufacturers they could
help in the general unemployment
movement by aiding in the spruce up
campaign. through repainting and re-
pairing of buildings, etc. repairing
the ravages wrought to buildings and
equipment through the practice Of
economies during the war.
I'VE are on the eve of highly pros
porous period" he said, "and now is
(. the time to prepare for it."
In voicing the opinion that the labor
trend in this country was moving from
surplus to shortage Colonel Woods
asserted that from 1915 to 1919 we had
lost 100000 workers through the fall
ing off Of Immigration, that the army
would retain about 100000 men for
some time to come and that the new
shipbuidng industry had taken 100000
mnl rom their former occupations.
. A. this pointed to labor shortage
soon he concluded.
Human Element Neglected
The big labor problem of the coun-
try, according to Herbert T. Miles,
director of the division Of training
OF the United States Department of
Labor, lies in the fact that employers
have neglected the human element in
their business
Machinery can never replace brains
and Drawn entirely sand Mr. Miles,
yet employers in this country have
gone along taking little account of the
human factor IN manufacturing which
is capitalized at $3.50. 600 900 600, equal
to all our natural resources"
He quoted statistics Of the Depart
meRt OF Labor to the effect that three
fOurths Of the factory workers in the
country deliver each day less than a
hall days labor
The solution o. this problem, he as
s'Fted, @ies in the snecial training of
workers 70 greater efficiency He cited
many cases where this special training
hsG increased the efficiency of worker
frem 50 to 100 per cent in the space Of
week.
Return of Railroads Favored
In his annual addess to members Of
me association President Mason
touched upon The railroad problem
taa SAID 1t Was the consensus Of opin-
ION among the country's manufacturers
shas the railroads should be returned
70 their private owners, that Congress
should enact financial legislation for
'he immediate relief Of the railroads
ana tnat upon their return to their
FORMER owners there be created a
s1eeera1ized and centralized government
agency 20 succeed the administrative
Fa1leS Of the Interstate. Commerce
sommission. These ideas, supplement-
"a VITA clause urging the passage
% legislation 10 permit the incorpora-
4 ''pn OF railroads under Federal laws,
we're incorporated in resolution.
UNANIMOUSLY passed by the convention.
committee viii be appointed to draft
Dill embodying these suggestions TO
pe presented 20 Congress as soon as
!. possible
:. af' Mason stated that the majority
VI the members Of the association fa-
''fed tne imposition Of direct sales
axes Tor the purpose Of raising rev.
q 'n"e and 4 cprteilaent Of the present
'eaofhe and excess profits taxes.
sRe ssnefmaliy high wages paid TO
,soof during the war, according TO Mr..
s$s's, have been modified since the
s.aaabg ot hoatilil.es, but the general
ss's' Is sEill nigh and will remain so
- ,0ag as food prices remain high,
..us Called upon the association tc
<NS part IA d nationwide movement
- me feforfa of the Sherman anti.
aas5 law, for The return OF the tele.
ssspa ana telephone lines 10 private
l',' lR's ana for the opposition to an,
- eeSiRned 70 limit immigration
Sxtsiy On numerical bagis. 4 reso
xs'ef ealing for the return of the
t@sapn and telephone lineg was in
ssssa 5ater and unanimously car
a' sssa ane Influence Of the association
~ mf' Aason, also should be di
80" to"ard tins repeal or modi
sDh 81 tho La foIlett, seaman's
- ~ order 10 aid the American
s..'oanf ss..f marine. He also urged th4
s~SFf obseryance If labor contract
a. employers and employees b,
ses labor unions.
a.as9 sftnsf discussion III the railroad
a. .n'asM was gwen by A. ). County
.pfes'deas og the pennsylvanis
a. f'"'aa' Among ather things he askes
~ inefease Of rates 10 cover ex
congregational appropriation
f..a aaso.s tsle natlen to pay to the rail
III. l,eDs me obligations Of federal con
ssfs. a. prompt payment of rentals du
ss''foaa companies for ths use O.