The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-04-02

dtoASt I@nHpOELdL4Ous housing ana SO
forth. On top OF that there prevailed
the demands Of the Shipping Board,
with the slogan that ships would win
the war, and Of the Food Administra-
ton, with the slogan that food would
win the Further, there was the
Railroad Administration with it's need
for material and labor, and finally
there was the feverish quest for labor
and supplies IN the part Of the NUM-
ton makers-all competing for labor,
money. materials, transportation, fuel,
power, and each insisting on the
greater Importance Of its activity. All
this while the labor supply was being
lessened by the flow Of men into the
Army.
While an endeavor wac being made
to bring order out Of chaos, the great
undertaking had to 90 on. Men, ships,
munitions, food. material, had TO be
provided. Old organizations, bureaus
and traditions had to be met and
changed, but not destroyed until the
new was set up. The wonder Of It all
is, not that there were so many mis-
takes. but that 80 much was accom-
plished.
At the time we entered tia wal
prices were at their peak, and tending
higher because Of the wars Unsuitable
demands. The problem was not alone
to secure the materials and labor and
to stop the confusion, but to do II In
such a way that the morale of the peo-
nVa WnnTH hn "a4nE0q.al M 49,
Of some things, like steel and conner.
were fixed far below prevailing rates,
and the wages Of labor in those indus
tries were standardized. The more
highly organized an industry, the
easier 1t was to arrange. Order did
not commence to appear until the
Army funneled its needs through one
man sitting with a section Of the War
Industries Board and until the Navy,
Shipping Board, Allies and Railroad
Administration did likewise. Each de-
partment satisfied its requirements
through a central authoritative body.
This was called the War Industries
Board, controlling and directing all
materials and c~o-ordinating through
It's chairman the whole system Of gov
ernmental and civilian supply and de-
mand. It was created by executive
order in March Of the year 1918.
Briefly, this board endeavOred TO
mobilize the Industries Of America so
that the fighting forces Of the Allied
and associated nations could draw
from the United States-the last res
ervoir Of men, materials and money
the things needed for the winning OF
the war at the time the things were
needed and with the least d~islocation
Of industry and the least disturbance
, Of the civilian population.
II
The War Industries Board was or
ganized like any other SUPERVISOR
committee, with a chairman, vice
: chairman, members in charge Of va
riOus activities, bureau chiefs and sub
: ordinate workers. It surveyed and
sought to arrange the whole industria
war field under the plenary powers
conferred by the President and thc
Congress. How well It did this is
story for others to tell. What It diC
; Is the basis Of the plan I am her,
e drawing.
It was comparatively a 8 to a.
9 prices and TO distribute materials, an,
indeed to stabilize the wages Of labo
In those Industries In which prices
g we're fixed. The labor situation, how
2 ever, became increasingly dimcult
particularly when General Crowde
9 found It necessary to withdraw mel
p for the proposed campaign Of 1911
after 100000 soldiers had alread,
q been taken.
e Much has been said about the prof
d teering Of labor. It is an unjust accv
3 satiOn. L Is only fair to say that thi
. condition was primarily brought abou
u through the i~nexperience OF the orga1
ization within our own government
n departments and BY the furious BIZ
ding Of munitions makers and shi
le builders for services. That situation
sr together with the increased prices Z
the things that labor had 70 buy Wit
y table that labor must get highs
n wages.
- So It became evident that the pric
IL fixing program had 70 60 even Ia
Their. and the War Industries Boar.
when the Armistice came, was prI
70 ceeding with q campaign 30 AZ 81
By prices of all the basic things that 1
Dor had to buy. Some had previous.
On been fixed Ispeak OF labor tn a muC
40 broader sense than manual labor &.
l- the unorganized so-oaled "Whits Cd
Of lar" part Of u communfty-clerk
.fs teachers, government employees nr
le fsssioneI men-wsro less ebie q nel
ry. The ~sltuztion than labor ln the "a
rover sense. E0r che protection 81
- rs:ief oi sncf grgups certain nls.
= we've Esv.eeE Us naette.