The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-07-28
STATE EMPLOYMENT
BUREAU IS SUCCESS
Commissioner Williams Reports
Show What Good Has Been
Accomplished.
With Limited Means and q Bust
ness to Work Up it Finds
Work for 10000.

session OF the legislature a bill was
introduced providing for public en-
ployment bureau, under the direction
OF the labor commissioner. and on
Juno I, 1905. such a bureau was OPEN
ed In the city of Minneapolis.
The original intention Of the COM
missioner and other parties interested
in the establishment of public employ
ment bureaus was to place one In
each city in the state having a popu-
latlon Of 5000 or more, but as the
bill did not seem to impress the mem
bers Of the Legislature with the value
of public employment bureaus, both
20 the employers and the employees,
the appropriation to sustain such
bureaus was only $1,750 q year. max
Ing 1t almost impossible even to open
the one In operation. which has by
this time shown Its value The COM
missioner was assisted In this matter
by the city of Minneapolis and Hen
nepin county. inasmuch as he was
given fine suite of offices in the city
hall and courthouse, rent free, which
in itself will amount to more than
the entire appropriation.
Office Is Started.
The public affairs committee of the
Commercial club, fully realizing the
possibilities of the public employment
bureau, provided the necessary office
furniture, which left the labor COM
missioner the entire appropriation to
use for salaries and the supplies, sta
tionery, record books, telephone
SERVICE etc. as needed. Deputy Labor
Commissioner Louis Levy was made
superintendent at a salary of $1,000,
assisted by Eta L. Holmes, whose
salary was placed at $500 year. in
charge Of the women's department.
Tho bureau has placed a far greater
number of men and women than was
predicted. A short study was made
of the free employment OF other states
by Mr.. Levy, who accepted their best
features and has used them in this
office.
The work Is increasing to such an
extent that at least two more people
will be required Mr.. Levy says. A
male clerk and a stenographer are
needed to handle the correspondence.
This Is an important feature which
Mr.. Levy says should have careful
consideration, as it means the placing
of many people in the towns through
out the state, when they most need
them, and there has always seemed to
be many more than can be provided
with work in the city.
Some Interesting Facts.
During the last two months Of the
last fiscal year, this being the first
two months for this Office OF June and
July 1905, 1904 men found employ
ment through the public employment
bureau. and 3s7 women. Up to Jan.
l, 1906, 1879 men and 1915 women
found employment making a total of
4,994 at the close of the day, June l,
k1906. The end Of the first twelve
Vmonths, the records show 5,513 men,
1904 women. total 9.s17. The monthly
report of the bureau shows the many
\ {lassi6cations of work furnished The
Employers Of better classes of labor
Nave called upon the bureau for its
Arvice.
While the reports always show a
great number Of common laborers and
men in their class commercially, it
should be remembered that the per-
centage Of skilled and professional la
Dor is just as large. For instance, a
contractor will have one bookkeeper,
put employs fifty carpenters; then
there Is class of men who need light
work, such as a Waterman or janitor.
A manufacturer will employ 200
operators in his plant and but one
Waterman. possibly two janitors.
Taking the figures as they appear from
the work up to date, every class OF
employer and employee has been bene-
flied to reasonable extent, taking
numbers into consideration.