Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-17
COMMISSIONER BELIEVES THERE
WILL az SHORTAGE IN IOWA
AND ELSEWHERE.
FARMS TO ABSORB MANY
OF UNEMPLOYED SOLDIERS
Closing Of Factories to Meet Read.
justment Demands Only Temporary
Railroads to Need Many Men in
Reconstruction and Repair Work.
Many Track Workers Go Homo.

.Des Moines, Feb. T.--Mr. a. H.
Trick, the state labor commissioner, IS
not pessimis;lc about me labor out
look in Iowa Sor the coming year.
In fact instead OF the surplus u
workers which has been feared by the
panic stricken public, he believes that
Iowa, and, in fact the entire United
States will, IN a few short months
experience .abor shortage.
The next few months-the days Jf
reimbursement from war basis to non
war basis-Mr. Trick believes can be
safely passed over II everyone will sit
tight and think, act, and talk in, IA
normal way, and along natural lines,
1t is the spasmodic transition from
war to peace footing which is to De
feared. Mr.. Trick believes.
At this time of year. In Iowa, there
Is always a period when un-employ-
ment is at maximum. Public work
slows down, outside work closes down,
building construction is usually nm
ished and this means a great number
of laborers thrown out of employment
temporarily.
Men Returning Hare.
This matter of unemployment rs
more acute just at this time because
great numbers of men who had been
employed elsewhere in government
work are returning to Iowa. The fac
tories outside the state which have
absorbed this labor have found 1t nee
essary to close down, temporarily, IN
order to readjust themselves. Then
too. a great many are returning, dis
charged Iowa, however, is not SUI
ferinx so greatly during this transition
period as many states because OF the
fact that only per cent OF the pro-
ducts of field, mine, factory ana shop
in Iowa in 1918 went into war chan
nels.
In support Of his contention that
period Of labor shortage is propapie'
Mr.. Urick stated that, up to four years
axo, or about the time OF the besinhihs
Of the war, America had been receN-
ing some million or more Immigrants
every year. This immigration prc
tically ceased during the process OF lhe
war. and many who were already mere
have returned, and, in fact, are re-
turning now.
The Italian who has made q little
money in this country feels that wages
will be higher in Italy during the re-
construction period than ever pc
fore. and with the amount Of money ne
has. he can live more or less inde-
pendently among his relatives ana
friends.
Keep Foreigners Home.
Many countries. and this is es-
pecially true of Poland. are how max
ing plans to keep their people at home
during the reconstruction period. Not
only this, they are making special IN
ducements to those In this country to
return to the newly created Poland.
The continental countries will, for
long time, have to look to America Tor
large quantities Of food for the reason
that great areas Of the countries that
heretofore have produced food are ~
vastated and will not be able to pro-
duce much for some years to come.
This means that America must furnish
the food, and inasmuch as Iowa yro-
duces approximately one-tenth Of the
food products of the United States.
great amount Of labor will be required
for this production.
Iowa Sends Many Men.
During the war Iowa sent approx