The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-02-17
EmpIoyment Service.

"The reinstatement of the soldiers
and sailors in urban industries will no
doubt he facilitated by the United
States Employment Service. This
agency has attained a fair degree of
development and efficiency during the
war. Unfortunately there is some dan
ger that it will go out of existence or
be greatly weakened at the end of the
period of rehabilitation. 1t is the OBJ
vious duty of Congress to continue and
strengthen this important institution.
The problem of unemployment is with
us always Its solution requires the
cooperation Of many agencies and the
use of many methods, but the primary
and Indispensable instrument is a ma
tional system of labor exchanges act
ing in harmony with State, municipal
and private employment bureaus
Women War Workers.
"One of the most important prob
lens of REIMBURSEMENT is that created
by the presence in industry of i'm
mense numbers of women who have
taken the places of men during the
war. Mere Justice, to say nothing of
chivalry, dictates that these women
should not be compelled to suffer any
greater loss or Inconvenience than is
absolutely necessary, for their services
to the nation have been second only to
the services of the men whose places
they were called upon to fill. One
general principle is clear: No female
worker should remain in any occupa
ton that is harmful to health or NOR
ais Women should disappear as quick
ly as possible from such tasks rs con
Quoting and guarding street cars, clean
ing locomotives and a great number of
other activities for which conditions of
life and their physique render them
unfit. Another general principle is that
the proportion of women in industry
ought to be kept within the smallest
practical limits. If we have an eff
cient national employment service, If a
goodly number of the returned soldiers
and sailors are placed on the land and
if wages and the demand for goods are
kept up to the level which is easily at.
tainable all female workers who are
displaced from tasks that they have
been performing only since the begin
ming of the war; will be able to find
suitable employments In other parts Of
the industrial field or in those domestic
occupations which sorely need their
presence. Those women who are en-
gagged at the same tasks as men should
receive equal pay for equal amounts
and qualities of work.
National War Labor Board.
Zone of the most beneficial govern
mental organizations of the war is the
National War Labor Board. Upon the
basis of few fundamental principles
unanimously adopted by the represent
atives of labor, capital and the public
it has prevented innumerabe strikes
and raised wages to decent levels III
many different industries throughout
the country. Its main guiding princi-
pies have been family living wage
for all male adult laborers, recognition
Of the right of labor TO organize and to
deal with employers through its chosen
representatives and no coercion of non
union laborers by members of the I'M
ion. The War Labor Board ought to
be continued in existence by Congress
and endowed with all the power for eff
fective action that it can possess under
the Federal Constitution. The princi-
pies, methods, machinery and results
of this institution constitute definite
and far-reaching gain for social JUS
tice No part of this advantage should
be lost or given up in time of peace
Housing for Working Glasses.
Housing projects for war workers
which have been completed or almost
completed by the Government of the
United States have cost some forty
million dollars and are found III eleven
cities. While the Federal Government
cannot continue this work in time of
peace, the example and precedent that
1t has set and the experience and
knowledge that it has developed should
not be forthwith neglected and lost.
The great cities in which congestion
and other forms of bad housing are
disgracefully apparent ought to take
up and continue the work at least to
such an extent as will remove the
worst features of special condition
that is menace at once to industrial
efficiency, civic health, good morals
and religion.