The Irish standard., 1904-10-01
IT DIDN'T COUNT
The Experience of an Applicant
for a Position.
Il Am a Protestant" and an En-.
ployer's Opinion.
..l,.. Tea |.y.SF,

The Sacred Heart Review of a late
date contains the following article of
interest:
Some few weeks ago the Review"
stated in an editorial paragraph that
no Catholic had just grounds for COM
plaint because a business firm had ad-
vertised for Protestant office boy.
Reading this opinion, an esteemed
subscriber in the West forwards for
our considerable the following letters,
showing how young man with an
Irish name from one of our Massachu-
setts cities was answered, when, an
plying for position as bookkeeper, he
stated at once, without being asked,
that he was Protestant The name
we give is, for obvious reasons, ficti-
tious, but the real name of the young
man is every whit as Irish. The in
cident is one Of very recent occurrence.
1t suggests a number of reflections, all
so well put I'M one of the following
letters that it would be useless repeti-
tion for us to dwell upon them any
further. We may remark that the
case presented in these letters is en-
tirely different ito the one about which
we wrote in the Review" The ad-
vertisement, which we give, and the
letters, tell their own story.
WANTED-First-class bookkeeper for
large concern in the West; salary
$3.50 per month; must be competent,
experienced, healthy and Of good
habits; none but expert accountant
need apply. References required.
G, Mass, August 2, 1904.
Gentlemen: Referring to your ad.
vertisement in the for book
keeper, beg to hand you my appli-
cation for the position.
II am Protestant: twenty-eight
years of age; unmarried; do not use
liquor or tobacco in any form: and
have had twelve years. experience in
bookkeeping and general office work;
six of which have been with my pres
ent employers, the Co..
of this city. as bookkeeper and stenog-
rapher.
II would refer you to Mr..
treasurer of the company, with regard
to my character and ability. Yours
respectfully, ...
JAMES LYNCH"
august 12, 1904.
James Lynch, Esq.
"Dear Sir: We have yours of the
I'd in reply to our advertisement fol
a bookkeeper. We should have been
inclined to give your application con.
sideration, but for one of the things
you mentioned as qualification, viz.
L am a Protestant We would re.
spectfully suggest that we advertised
for bookkeeper, not for Protestant
Since when has Professionalism become
sine qua non in accounting? You
evidently put it forward as special
bookkeeping virtue. Is it considered
such in Massachusetts? 1t is not in
-. Brains. not particular forms of
belief, count here in bookkeepers. Is
it possible that you feared the authors
of the advertisement could be so small
souled and benightcd and un-Ameri-
can and unjust as to discriminate in
their business against all human be-
ings whom God took the trouble to
create, save and except Protestants? +?
If you did, your fears were ground
less. Or is it possible that you antici-
pated being taken, because of your Hi
bernian name, for a vulgar Irish Catl'
0lic, and, knowing Protestants as you
must, realized the fate that your ap,
plication would meet at their hands :?
What a commentary on the justice
and Christian charity of your co-relig-
ionists, and what small soul you
must be possessed of, if such was your
reason. Is this the fruit of your
creed? If so, God pity your creed and
you. .....
'You did not mention your color or
your nationality as qualification. Did
you not fear we might have doubts on
these points, too? Or were you en-
tirely satisfied of your predestination
regardless of color, white, black or
pinto; regardless of blood-Swedish,
Welsh or Pharisee, so long as you
could shoot the Pope?'
"We should be beneath contempt
did we consider for moment in our
employees whether or not they are Prot
estants, Choctaw or Catholic. Capa-
bility and character are the standards
set for those whom we employ. We
would not tolerate any one around us
who for an instant considered that the
form Of his faith entitled him to spe-
cial consideration. The fact that one
Of your name gratuitously volunteers
the information that he is Protestant
creates an immediate suspicion as to
his other qualifications. Can it be
II