Evening journal., 1920-11-12
100000 JOBS
GO TO VETERANS
Nations Industries Absorb
All Service Men Seek
ing Work
3,4o1, ,206 co
FROM THE ARMY

WASHINGTON. d. c.. Nov. fire
ports in the possession OF the War
Department show that practically
every man enrolled in the United
States Army al the time OF the armis-
lice has heen absorbed by industry
between the dates Of November Al,
1918 and today
This conclusion is approXimated 20
a certain eXtent-for lhe department
has figures only concerning those men
who made application for placements
through the instrumenialities built up
by The War Department 90 iEd posi-
ti0ns for them. This number Is only
a small proportion OF the men who
were In the army. Congratulations of
reports however. indicate that every
man who wanted a ioob procured one.
and that the absorption by industry
Of Americas great army was accom-
plished without great economic dis
turhance or without material distress
The magnitude OF this accomplish
mcnt may be gathered from the fact
ihaiOn November n 1918. the day nf
the armistice, the United states Army
bad enrolled a total OF 3.1O3213 OH
GERS and men Of these 1885, were
officers while 3.5i3S37 were In the
ranks To-day The total Of officers and
men In The United states Army is
2i2O67.
a large portion OF the men in the
army now have been enlisted since the
armlsiice. but assuming that The
total number Of men In the army to-
day represents what Is left of the
wartime force, II follows that g.
i9i 2H men were taken out OF the
army and given over 10 industry.
Following the armisuce the War
Department built up an industrial
service under the leadership OF Col
Arthur Woods. who had the title OF
Assistant % the secretary or War.
The records Of the Office OF the chief
of the bureau of Information OF the
War Department Major Matthews.
show that from December 4. 1918. 30
June 20. 1920. 4 iS2 sci discharged sol
dlers registered Tor employment. and
that OF these i.O620i6 were placed
Prom september 20 1919. % January
i9. 1920 the figures were iSs 100 reg
isiered and 36i.657 placed Major Mat
fhewS said they were unable 90 record
figures showing me number Of unem-
rInyci In the state OF New York
ihose who registered Tor employment
We're 2ii931, while those placed to-
ialird i5i 99S
Tho task OF the government IN re-
absorbing rs military forces into in
dusiry included sailors as well as sol
iiers so that the problem represented
the reabsorpiion Of more than 1000
600 men from both branches OF the
The armisticc meant not only the
demObilization OF the flghtlng forces
but also the change 20 peace time
production OF wartime industry II
was under these di1lcult industrial
conditions and with the demohiliza-
tion proceeding at an unprecedented
speed that the men were TO be re-
turned 10 peace time occupations.
The War Departments agency for
placing men In industry was assisted
by various State ana private welfare
organizations. In addition TO the In
strumentalities built up by states and
cities. ORGANIZATIONS like the American
Legion. the Red Cross, The Y. NJ G. A..
the X. OF c.. the Y NJ II A. and the
w. @. o.. S. rendered valuable assis-
iance, while the commercial clubs,
newspapers, business concerns and in
dividuals an rendered help
One Of the difficulties found In the
reahsorption of these men into IN
dustry was the wartime psychology
which the soldiers and sailors had
acquired. Many OF them were dis
inclined % leave the cities where they
were dcmohllzd. while The life and
adventure and excitement through
which they had gone during the time
of thei- service made 10 difficult for
them 10 rcacQuire the peace timt ats
tude toward industry and work.
The result was that In the larger
cities there developed a number OF
men who did not want 10 work az all
or who were disinclned TO accept the
kind of work. offered them. In spite
OF these conditions the work Of de-
mobilization and OF Industrial absorn-
ton continued az a rate that has
never been equalled before In any
country.
The achievement Is regarded as one
OF the greatest American triumphs OF
the war and Is looked upon as a clear
indication OF the complete soundnes.
Of heart OF America. So FAR as thl
War Department knows. there are nc
idle soldiers today except those Nht
are disinclIned 20 work or who ma,
have been recently rendered idl by thl
slowing up OF industrial occupation