The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1919-05-03
U. s. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
IMPORTATION AND EDUCATION
SERVICE WASHINGTON

49, N--A1 NC-OPCA OC-
tween white employers, white work
ers and Negroes viii do a great deal
to solve the future labor problems
involving Negro workers is the belief
Of officials of the Department of La
Dor. The Department during the war
and the past months Of reconstruc-
ton has formed cooperative Negro
Workers Advisory Committees which
leave local problems to local commit
tees free to make their own decisions
and to devise means for carrying eff
fort to increase the efficiency of
Negro workers.
The service rendered by the Direc-
tor of Negro Economics and his assis-
tants is of an advisory character, and
no attempt has been made to create
a separate bureau. The plan and
spirit underlying the movement is CO.
operative, especially through local CO
operatively advisory committees of
white and eolored people. These
committees are local in control and
character.
The work was undertaken during
the war as a means of solving Negro
labor problems incident to the pre-
secution of war work. Negro Work
ers' Advisory Committees formed in
several states and in many counties,
ito study, plan and advise in a CO.
operative spirit and manner with en-
ployers of Negro labor, with white
workers, and with Negro workers and
with the United States Department
OF Labor, in securing from Negro Ia
borers greater production in industry
and agriculture through increasing
regularity, application and efficiency,
through increasing the morale of
Negro workers and through improving
their general condition"
Under the title, Department of
Labor and the Negro Problems" de-
tailed study of the work of the Diyi-
sion Of Negro Economics has recent
ly been made by George L. Boyle,
special Investigator for the Lumber
World Review, and published in that
magazine April 10. This study, as
the editor says, describes at some
length, without bias, editorial opinion
or suggestion, what has been accom-
plished and what is being contemplate
ed The Study is of special interest to
the lumber trade in view of the large
number Of Negroes employed in that
industry in the South.
The Negro advisory committees
were made up of representatives of
white employers, of Negro wage earn
ers, and, where possible, white wage
earners. These committees linked en-
ployers, employees and such agencies
as churches, lodges, women's clubs,
and the like, through which the Negro
workers were influenced. To super
wise the work of these committees,
supervisors of Negro economies were
appointed in nine states where the
work was undertaken-four southern
and five Northern States.
During the war a great deal was
done to assist the Employment Ser
vice in recruiting and placing of Neg
70 labor most effectively, and to make
certain that unemployed men were
FOUND work as near home as possible.
Since the end of the war these CO
operative advisory committees of
white and eolored people have been
helping to find work for demobiiized
soldiers
Before the committees were form
ed in a State or locality, State and
local conferences, Of white and color
ed citizens were held and the plans
and methods were freely and fully
discussed; these conferences always
developed a better understanding be-
tween the races. An informal nation
al conference was also held in wash
ingtOn- Through these cooperative
committees activities, special educa-
tional campaigns and discussions have