Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-07

declared "off' after three days | While there have been much greater activity and aggressiveness In labor circles throughout the state during the l last year than for some time previous, | the large figures shown are due prin- cipally to the great maehinists' strike which spread throughout the whole country.
 The free public employment bureaus 1 have more than met all expectations l of their usefulness. In the truest sense of the word these bureaus are labor exchanges or clearing houses, | where employees and employers are properly classified and an identity of l interest is established after q careful | investigation of the character, ability and needs of both. It is this vital fact | which distinguishes free public en- l plOyment bureaus from private intelli- gence offices and gives the former q standing and dignity which the latter never attained. The element of dis l crimination Is to a large extent lacking | in private intelligence offices because the entire object of the office is to make money. The more applicants who obtain positions. whether they re- tain them for only an hour or a day, the greater the profits. Tn a free pub- lie employment office, where no fees fare charged, and where the superfn- tendent receives his salary independent of the amount of business done. there is no Incentive to furnish inferior or poorly qualified labor. There is no motive to turn aside from the path of duty. Consequently. employers are getting from these offices not only q better character of help, but employees better adapted to the peculiar condi- Itions of each. Public recognition of this central and distinguishing feature of public employment offices Is the one essential requisite to unlimited sue cess
 The results of the work in Connec- lieut. are gratifying and indicate very plainly the defect of our system. There should be two men at each office -one to conduct the routine affairs of the office. the other to work a portion of the time among employers and en- ployes outside-to get better and more complete understanding of the conditions and needs of the labor and employing world.
 The greatest difficulty has been met i'll trying to place shop hands and mill operatives. The bulk of Connecticut's laborlng population is found in these TWO classif1cationS. During the last year, except in the strike periods there has been steady demand for such en- ployes. Yet the five free public em- p4oyment bureaus of the state have placed during their existence only HItV-slX shopmen and forty-nine shop women. Time and again the superin- tendents have sought without avail fo interest the large mannfacturing com panles III the work. The usual rnpiy IS that the employment of subnrdi- mates IS left entirely to the oyerseers of me different departments. The de clded manner of all the overseers and the1r uniform stubbOrnness puzzled 1ha superlntendents of the various offices Tor long time and the report says that attempts to treat with the oyer seers and to induce them to patronize the state offices have met almost with out exception, by flat refusals to hire help except in the ordinary way. It was learned, that q widespread practice exists among the overseers of black mailing the men who work under them of compelling them to pay tribute for the privilege of employment
 Investigation showed that it's extent is alarming; and that the evils of this expressions are second only to those in- dulged in by private intelligence Of fees.
 The following table shows the work of the five offices for five months:
 NEW HAVEN.
 Situations wanted-MaIes, 66e; fe- males 437
 Help wanted Males. 1ss; females 331
 Positions secured-Males, 155; fe males, PA.
 HARTFORD.
 Situations wanted -1,os6; females. 1.211. 1.064
 Positions secured-Males. 800. ia males, 1.O3S
 BRIDGEPORT.
 Situations wanted Males, 4o6; fe- males. TAP.
 ITS
 Positions secured Males, 147: fe- males, 494.
 NOR WlCH.
 Situations wanted Males, 321; fe- males, 1S5.
 149. iei'aies' :, Positions Pos dc seeured-Males, s1; fe-
 WATERBURY.
 Situations wanted Males, 341; fe- males, 347.
 Help wanted Males, s1; females. 411
 Positions secured Males, no; fe. males. 216.
 REHABILITATION. Situations wanted, males. S2o situations wanted. females. 2,922 .'.... -............'........ .5.742 1 Help wanted males ......-..1G G37 Help wanted, females
 Aotai . ........... .3S7O Positions secured, males Os2 f,osltions secured, females ... 2.O5s
 .,................ 3,141 STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURES.
 Statistics hox-o 1oo,,