The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-13
HIGH PRAISE FOR
WAR LABOR BOARD
Called One of Most Beneficial War
Organizations by National
Catholic Council.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l3-Adoption OF
minimum wage schedules maintenance IN
general OF the wage levels attained dur
ing the wal and permanent establishment
OF the national war labor board and the
United States employment service were
advocated as essentials OF just recon
struction in report made public today
BY four Catholic bishops, constituting the
administrative committee OF the Nationdl
Catholic War council
While favoring. IN the interest OF
health and morality, prohibition Of child
labor and reduction 10 the smallest prac-
teal limits OF the employment Of women
in industry the committee urged equal
pay for women doing equal work with
men. 1t is declared also for insurance
/ OF workers against illness, old age, and
unemployment until wages are high enough
10 tide over such periods, for abolition
OF monopolies, for continuance OF heavy
taxes on large incomes and excess profits,
/ for cooperative merchandising in neees-
sites to reduce the cost Of living and for
eovernment-ass colonization OF unoc-
cuPied farm lands by demobilized soldiers
and sailors
As measure outside its present recon
struction program, but OF value in solving
the problems of capital and labor, the
committee urged gradual participation by
labor in the management and eventually
IN the ownership of industry
The report, entitled Social Reconstruc-
ton; General Review OF the Problems
and Survey of Remedies was issued in the
names of Bishops Peter J. Muldoon OF
Rockford, H., Joseph Schrephs of Tnlc
I a. Il.
x c. and Auxiliary Bistsp Patrick j
Hayes OF New York. As member Of
the war councils administrative commit
tee, they represent the Catholic hierarchy
OF america in general direction OF wal
work in this country and overseas.
: Declaring that the deep unrest" S,
cmphatieally and widely voiced through
out the world is most serious menace,
the bishops held UP social justice an,
il contented people as the only Safeguard
OF peace
The authors OF the report disclaime,
any attempt to formulate a comprehensive
scheme OF reconstruction Their recon
mendations, it was stated, were confine,
Ito reforms that seemed to be desirabl
and also ohtainablc within REASONABLE
time. and to those general principle
which should serve as a guide for NOR
distant developments.
Discussing the rehabilitation of the mi
itary forces, the report indorsed the sus
gestion of Secretary OF the Interior Ian
that discharged men should be given a
Opportunity to work at good wages in ~
claiming unused lands, afterward TO b
assisted by government loans to estal
1 lish themselves as farmers. 1t credite
the federal employment service with 8
fair degree OF development aud efficienc
during the war;, and urged that congres
continue and strengthen the organizatio
as means of helping to solve the eve
present problem of unemployment
The bishops rated the national war i
Dor board as zone OF the most benefc
governmental organizations Of tie war
its efforts. they asserted, had ''prevente
innumerable strikes and raised wages
decent levels in many industries.