Journal
Sioux City, Iowa
251948
GROUPS MAKING SURVEY REPORT
Labor Asks That Present
Misunderstandings
Be Cleared Up
I Des Moines.-- If the resettlement in Iowa of displaced persons of Europe is to become a success, present misunderstandings must be cleared up, labor leaders said Saturday.
"There is a distinct misunderstanding among Iowa workers as to the physical condition and intelligence of the displaced persons (D. P.s)," said a report of a labor subcommittee to the voluntary Iowa Committee on Resettlement :>f the Displaced Persons of Europe earlier this week.
'The problem of housing is uppermost in the minds of most urban workers and some slight fear exists that admission of displaced persons will aggravate this condition," the report said, adding:
Want Points Clarified
"As public good will is important 'to the success of our efforts, this committee recommends to the Iowa committee that we clear up these points as much as possible in our future publicity."
The labor group was headed by Kenneth Everhart, Des Moines, representing the C. I. O., and A. A. Couch, Des Moines, representing the A. F. L.
Members of the state committee said they have information that there are considerable numbers of high class persons in D. P. camps, and that a thorough screening is planned for all D. P. applicants who want to come to the United States.
Another subcommittee, which had surveyed more than 3,400 Iowa ministers, reported that there was housing available for 875 D. P. families.
= Bergeson Preparing Report
Secretary of State Rollo H. Bergeson, chairman of the state committee, is preparing a summary based on subcommittee reports, showing Iowa could absorb upwards of 4,000 D. P.s.
There now are before congressional committees measures which would permit the entrance into the United States of 400,000 D. P.s at the rate of 100,000 a year. Iowa's share would be 2,000 a year for four years.
On the basis of three persons per family, this would mean only
six or eight families would be brought to each Iowa county per \ year, Bergeson said.
The Iowa committee summary will be sent to each member o£ the state's delegation in congress.
Iowa's Senator George A. Wilson has favored the importation of D. P.'s but has said 400,000 is too many.
Report Discouraging: The state committee's labor subcommittee said plastering and bricklaying trades face a permanent shortage of workers and that D. P.s who are skilled along those lines could expect employment in those trades.
However, the report gave little [encouragement otherwise. It said heavy and light building construction is being retarded because of material shortages, particularly in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux i City, Waterloo and Des Moines. I The report said further:
There are too many unskilled i persons now for building jobs in --Des Moines, Centerville, Ottumwa, Burlington, Fort Dodge, Marshall-town and Council Bluffs. <
Shortages Cause Layoffs In Des Moines, Marshalltown and Davenport, material shortages such as steel have caused temporary layoffs.
But several hundreds of D. P.s could be placed in heavy manufacturing, especially in plants at Waterloo, Dubuque, Ottumwa, Des Moines, Davenport and Burlington.
Howard Hill, Minburn, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau federation said:
"If displaced persons are brought into Iowa, local county communities should be appointed, to direct the welfare of these* people. If these people fit in, it is going to be a popular program
