Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-27
Friday, June ~, 1919.
Re.empIoyment Problems

n0'empIoym00t FTOOseWS
The unemployment of the dis
charged service men remains one Of
the most perplexing problems of in
dustrial American life. Various priv
ate and civic agencies are helping
with surveys and employment bu-
reaus. and the War Department is
cooperating in plans and projects
in suitably remunerative work for
which they are qualified.
Colonel Arthur Wood. an assistant
to the Secretary Of War in this
branch Of the departments activities.
advises the American Legion to un-
dertake the duty of helping the serv-
ice men to find employment. Sol
diers. sailors and marines are en-
braced in this organization which is
now in process of formation. Com
radeship can show itself in no better
way than in such spirit of helpful
ness as Major Wood suggests. A
large proportion Of the discharged
service men are young and need
brotherly advice.
This all-important matter Of re-
employment gives an opportunity for
starting the American Legion with q
practical demonstration Of fraternity.
To give competent and deserving
service men the technical instruction
which will qualify them for better
Jobs than they had before the war Is
another recommendation Of Solonel
Wood. which would not only be help
full to the men but beneficial to the
economic welfare Of the nation
Philadelphia Press.
In one way this problem is being
simplided by the thousands Of aliens
who are returning on every ship to
Europe. OF course in a very large
percentage Of cases discharged serv-
ice men win not care to take the jobs
Just vacated by departing Greeks.
Italians or alavs. But Jobs there are
70 b when an along our Eastern
coast Thousands are daily asking for
passports Time Will shake the Job
seekers into place and we shall 80
on.
And there u another problem-why
II the Immigrant emigrating? It
seems safe to assume that most Of
these people who are turning their
faces homeward after the war. ex-
pect to hnd the intolerable conditions
which sent them to a free land. who'll
ly changed. Again. in impoverished
home lands the small American for
tunes they are taking back will mean
the rescue Of relatives, command To-
cal respect and prove lifelong COM
petence.
These people are taking American
ideas to Europe and they are to fig-
ure very largely in the reconstruc-
ton years ahead. What are our sons
bringing to US from Europe Of equal
value?
First of we are confronted with
the reluctance Of many discharged
service men to accept the jobs that
friends are finding and proffering.
They prefer to rustic a bit for them
selves and to CHANGING competition
with others for the best positions in
sight. It may have been more or
less Of democratic sport and muscle
building exercise to dig trenches.
grub stumps or do k. p, in France or
in home environments where million
aire and farmer. college man and il
literate, worked side by side. But it
is quite a different proposition to
taking the place in a sewer trench OF
the emigrating southern European.
when your terminate Of a few months
ago may go by in his limousine at
any moment.
Democracy" in the fighting lines
breeds new determination in lowly
breasts for social and occupational
democracy after discharge. Many
bitter disappointments are to follow
as stalwart braves discover that the
wealthy young man who was prince
in the ranks has become snob once
more. But time heals all wounds
and the processes Of sitting into the
place that fits, are constantly NOV
ing.
Some Of the boys are snifing at
the best that active and well-dis-
posed employment organizations can
present to them. while others are
sensibly accepting the drst to hand
r and keeping eyes open for something
better. Soldiers. like the rest Of us,
are human and many Of them are ar
irving with exaggerated notions Of
their importance. Honest friend
ship for them is to them and to US an
asset. but petting and patting and
fiattering some Of them is unkind and
costly to all Of US.
Let US look ahead q Nv months
and estimate the meaning Of the re-
turn Of hundreds Of thousands. even
millions. Of our present foreign. born
population to the old countries. and
what It Is going to mean to American
labor and American business. World
AFFAIRS were never 20 complex: the