FROM WAR TO PEACE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 91, 11 January 1919, Page 8

FROM WAR TO PEACE

PROCESS OF DEMOBILISATION THE BRITISH SYSTEM The following statement on demobilisation and matters relating thereto was issued recently by the British Ministries of Labour audi of Munitions:— • The task before the country is the transformation of industry from the basis of war to the basis of ipeaco. It is not believed that, when all the adjustment necessary in passing from a state of war to a slate of peace has been satisfactorily completed any. great difficulty will be experienced in securing employment for either discharged.munition workers or discharged soldiers and sailors. Between the moment, however, when the war machine stops and the moment at which the peace machine is fully restarted thero .must intervene a period of readjustment which may, without the'adoption of appropriate measures, lead to unemployment and its concomitant hardships. The problem is twofold:- ,

(a) As regards civil workers; (b) As regards the armed forces. The following is an outlirio' of the measures which the Government propose to adopt to tide over the period of demobilisation and resettlement. Some of these have been already announced to the Press:—

Civilian War Workers, (a) Arrangements have already been made to prevent as far as possible any immediate general discharge of munition workers, while special facilities aro being given for tho withdrawal'of all workers who wish to leave munitions work and of those who can be absorbed elsewhere without delay.. lii order to avoid the necessity for wholesale dismissals steps liavo been taken to reduce overtime and to reduce tho number of' hours in thp working week, etc.. so ns to spread the availablo employment amongst as many workers as possible. . (b) Free railway warrants are being issued by the employment exchanges to enable discharged persons to return to" their homes or to proceed to -fresh employment. (c) Enrolled labour is being relieved of its obligations so that it mav flow fluidly to its native district or wherever it is required for the work of reconstruction. (d) The necessary consent has- been given by' order under Section 2 of .the Munitions of War Act, 1917, so as to enablo munition workers to talie |iip private work., and they are now free to lenve munitions work for tyiis purpose. (e) A special unemployment donation will bo paid upon a non-contributory basis, which, extending over a maximum period of thirteen weeks, should bridge over inevitable periods of unemployment; Armed Forces. ' As regai'ds the armed forccs, the re-' spousibility for tho details.of demobilisation with the services rests ' with'tho services themselves, Tho new Civil Department of Demobilisation and Resettlement has a twofold responsibility in tho matter; firstly, it decideß the general priority of release; secondly,it takes over the soldier or sailor or airman, as the case may be, from tho point at w'liich lie leaves the dispersal camp. . It is not, of course, at present possible to say when the release of men. from the forces, can begin; but the forces lmvo agreed to release a limited num'ber of men in advance of general demobilisation. These men will be pivotal men, and,'as they aro called, "demobilisers"—that is to say, men who are iftcessary for th^. re-estab-lishment of industry on a peace basis, and to prepare th? ■ way for the reemployment and re-absorption of labour. The number of; man whom the forces can afford to release in advance of general demobilisation is very strictly limited, and it is necessary for the Demobilisation Department to decide ' how .' this limited number of men can be applied to the best advantage. This question Has been under consideration by the Labour Eesettlement Committee, and a provisional list of industries. which, on the solo , ground of national interest, are to be regarded as, entitled to receivo ' a share of this limited pool has been\ drawn up and nearly completed. An announcement of the machinery which is to be adopted" for-the purpose will be made in a very few; days. It will'not be posbisle to recover in this first batch of men every man who can rightly be described as pivotal; it has been necessary to mako a selection among classes of pivotal men of those whose returii will bo most remunerative in providing opportunities for employment and re-establishing industries. ■ ~ ■ --f • / Employers' Requests for Men.

Preparations are also in train for regulating the priority of releaso when general demobilisation starts.'- Forms.will be sent to men serving at home, and abroad ask-' ing them to state the work they wish to undertake, whether they have ii promise of re-employment from some particular employer , or whether they wish their names to be, submitted to, an 'employer. These forms will be returned through the Employment Exchanges, and if tho employer named has asked for the men a slip noticing the fact is sent out to the man's unit in Prance; he is, then known as a "slip man"—that:is, ,a whom a job is definitely waiting—and will receive due priority when drafts are made up from his unlit of men to be demobilised. Wo hopo to issue in a few days a notice inviting employers to assist in this process by sending to Employment Exchanges postcards, of which a supply will bo available, giving the mimes full regimental numbers of men whom they wish to re-employ. These cards will be linked up with tho forms filled up by the men in the forces themselves.. i All the men in the Army have been classified according to their trade and occupation, and it will be possible for tho Demobilisation' Department to regulate : the priority of release with reference to tho trades lor which there is at the moment a demand in industry, It is obvious that one of .tho first'considerations must be the general national interest; but it will bo necessary also to take into account the prior claims of the men. with tho longest service in'tli'o Army, of married men, and wo hope also of men who, 011 grounds of special hardship, deserve early release. The position of officers and men of all ranks whoso course of educational training has been interrupted by military servico is a problem to meet which a comprehensive Holicme has already been drawn up. Tho Ministry of Labour will offer training, by special short timo intensive courses, lo men w!ho have lost touch with their particular prolessions and businesses. Jn this way it is hoped that officers and luen of all rallies of approved. education and ability, may be provided with liie specialised equipment which will cnaljle I Hem to take a most lull and efficient part in the work ot' reconstruction. Position of Women. , As regards (lie position of women employed in the munitions', industry,- these deserve tho grateful thanks of the wholu country for the invaluable service which they have so freely given to the national cause. It is impossible, to think that the women'who came patriotically forward to assist in a time ot national stress will be reluctant to leave employment claimed by the soldier or 6ailor returned from serving bis country abroad. During tho war large numbers of women have left industries peculiarly their own in order to take up war work. These industries are eager to reabsorb them, and special arrangements are being mado by the Employment Exchanges to enable this progress of reabsorption to take place with tho utmost smootlinoss and facility. Machinery of Labour Resettlement, Olio point specially requires emphasis. It is not for n single moment intended that tho resettlement of men and women in peaeo industries should be carried out solely by bureaucratic agencies. On tho contrary,'it is nnxiousiy hoped and desired that every reputable voluntary agency in the country which can help will conic forward and render assistance. In order to guard against waste of effort and labour, at a timo when such waste is abovo all tilings to'be avoided, it is necessary that us far as possiblo nil workpeople should be placed by tho employment exchanges 50' as to avoid such contingencies as two or three jobs being found for the same man by agencies working in isolation. Tho experience nnd local knowlcdgo of voluntary agencies, howover, such as. tho labour advisory committees (composed half of employers

and half of workpeople), will bo iuvalunblo in guiding; and directing fruitfully flu? machinery of the exchanges. In tlio early days of the war those who could not servo ill tlio nrmnd forces of tho Crown sot themselves to do all tliey could to stimulate recruiting and secure men for tho Army and Navy, It ifl now asked that tho 6aine, energy and enthusiasm shall bo devoted in the reserve direction—that is to say, to securing suitable appointments for the men who are returning after serving their eountrv in the field. Function of the Press. At tlio present juncture tho Press can render the most important service by creating the right atmosphero for the new Demobilisation Department to work in. On tho one hand, the public must not bo allowed to minimise Hie difficulty and the gravity of the problems to be faced; on tho other hand, they must be reassured that with co-operation and rood-will industry may swiftly be re-es-tablished on the new basis of peace, with employment for all who are prepared to work. Some delay, in readjustment, some discomfort, and possibly some hurdship is inevitable, but, if the working men and women of the country will steadily and cheerfully face the period of transition, they may look forward with confidence to the future. All thatiis now required is that tho nation will face the difficulties and dangers of reconstruction with tho silme calmness, patience, and good sense which has distinguished them during the war.