LANGUAGE AND LITERACY TESTS 153 
quent work of these men, thus indicating that in one way 
at least the form-board test was more significant than the 
literacy test. 
On the basis of these trials, and in view of the labor 
situation, it seemed inadvisable to use the literacy test at 
the time. Indeed, it was more profitable for the time 
being to let the illiterate workers go on as before, and to 
bave special clerks pay particular attention to their work 
tickets, in order to insure their being properly made out. 
spite of this temporary arrangement, however, the 
time is undoubtedly at hand when literacy tests must be 
given, and when at least an elementary knowledge of 
English will be required on the part of every applicant. 
The problem of illiteracy is a vital one and one which is 
°ffering serious difficulties in classifying workers. When 
the United States conscript army was mobilized, one of 
the great hindrances to its proper training and classifica 
tion was illiteracy. The same difficulty described here 
°n a small scale was experienced there on a vast scale. 
The only genuine solution for this difficulty is education. 
the meanwhile, however, it is necessary to make 
temporary classifications. These can be made super 
ficially, by means of form boards and mechanical tests 
'which do not require any language ability.