The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-01
A FREE LABOR BUREAU,
The State Will Find Assistants
for Manufacturers and
Farmers.
Commissioner Fitzgerald Is Deter.
mined to Drive Out Cody
Workmen.

Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald's plan of
establishing a free labor bureau at his
Office, 215 Sansome street, has received the
hearty Endorsement of Governor Budd.
The executive says that as soon as the bu-
reau is in working order he will send to
Mr.. Fitzgerald to provide work for about
500 unemployed politicians who are making
life burden to him.
The bureau will be opened on about
July Is. The Commissioner is having
printed a number of registration books
wherein the names of all applicants for
work will be registered. There will be
space for $4,000 names. He will also have
book of employers who desire help. The
system upon which the bureau will be con-
du cted will be different from any tried so
far and its purpose will be twofold, the fur
nishing OF work to the unemployed and the
means of gathering statistics upon the
labor question. Each applicant will fill
out form giving age, nativity, occupation,
former employm ent, cost of house rent
and. if married, the number in the family
Every person furnished with work will
take to his new employer two postal cards.
One will be returned TO the bureau by the
employer as soon as the applicant goes to
as soon as the man leaves, with the rea-
! sons for his discharge, This will show the
| character of the laborers who pass through
the bureau. The laborers will also be re-
quired to inform the bureau as soon as
they leave their employment and the
causes therefor before they will be per-
mitted to re-reg1ster. This will operate as
| string upon the unjust employer because
too many complaints of poor food, bad
quarters and harsh treatment will prevent
the employer from obtaining any more
help through the bureau. By this system
, the Commissioner expects to weed out the
! ''hobo" element from the ranks of honest,
unemployed laborers.
He will endeavor to furnish work for
women as well as men, and Will have a
room in his Office where they NAV wait for
call for their services.
Mr.. Fitzgerald has been informed that
as soon as he opens the bureau at least 1000
of the unemployed of this City will register
for places. He is gathering the names of
| those who employ japanese and Chinese
on their farms, and to them he will appeal
for work for the unemployed white people,
Circulars will be sent all over the State to
| those who employ la borers, offering to fur
nish such help as will be required. The
cooperation of all the labor unions will
| also be asked. Mr.. Fitzgerald proposes to
| fill the places of 5000 Japanese laborers and
| innumerable Chinese with white men.
One reason for so many coolies being
employed is that the employers have poor
means of getting white help. All that is
| required to get coolies is to send to one or
two labor contractors and the men are on
| the ground without further trouble. After
the first six months of the bureaus exist
ence Mr.. Fitzgerald will furnish certificates
of character and ability with all orders for
men that he will fill. 1t will take six
months or more to obtain the desired in
| formation. AS the bureau will be opened
| at the beginning of the harvest season the
| Commissioner expects to find places for
all who apply for work.
A Contra Costa County farmer has prom
| ised to take 100 men as soon as Mr. Fitz-
gerald can send them to him. It is his in
tention to find work for skilled as well as
unskilled workmen.