The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28
BEGGARS THAT ARE CHOOSERS
SEEN WORK, nut WII.L TAKE ONLY
A CERTAIN KIND.
Ma Lack Of Opportunity, say the Managers
Of Employ ncnt Agencies women VINO
Would DeiKn To DO Anything Menial
The Mere Buffers Who Eun o

The adage ~Beggars can he chooeers"
doesn't go in New York. Beggars are
choosers here. This Ia the belief OF men
and women long connected with employ
rnent and charitable bureaus Of this city.
A lot Of nonsense, they think, 10 talked and
written about the army Of the unemployed.
This army might easily he cut one-half.
they are sure, If the adage quoted was
lived up 10.
Il was a signed letter in a newspaper
In which the writer gave narrowing de-
tails Of unsuccessful efforts to get work
which caused an Official OF the charity or
ganization TO make IA few remarks on one
aspect OF a problem.
The letter writer, overtaken by financial
disaster, faced for the first time at forty
the necessity Of earning her living. She
was educated, refined, accustomed to a
beautiful home all her life. and could do
almost anything. she said, except mental
work or hard manual labor. After a long
search she obtained Office work at ~ q week,
but this job she lost in the spring because
her employer cut down his Office force.
and since then she had visited agency after
agency, leaving the required fee at some,
at Others promising to pay should she get
work. The woman applied also to the
labor bureaus OF charitable concerns, in
Guiding the Charity Organization, all OF
which took down her name and address
with the promise to let her kno il any.
thing turned up for her. Non ever did
let her know. h complained. The point
amplifed by the writer was her capability
to do good work in more than one role
and the impossibility Of getting a chance TO
all any role In this city.
The Charity Organization official, a woman
Of untiring patience. saw the printed letter
and mentioned it as an instance OF the
injustice frequently done the society she
represents.
1T In possible that woman came here
and that I saw her and took her name,
although ! do not remember any person
whose qualifications answered to the de-
scription Of those enumerated in the letter.
she said.
1T is possible she came and hat | could
not Immediately provide her with work
such as she thought she could do. IL is
hardly possible, however. that she came
and went without an offer OF some sort OF
work or the promise Of some within a
day or two For example, at this time OF
year I can often make room for women
Of intelligence accustomed To the manage
meut Oh n MOUSE. III inc IFrb1 III Oilt All !
other summer institutions TO fill the post
Of assistant matron and help look after
the stores and linen and servants. A
place Of this sort pays SIS a month and board, |
not a big sum. of course. and the work
would he temporary only, but surely IA"
better than nothing at all.
-Nevertbeless | have trouble often to get
women suitable to I'LL these places. some
- fhAaa n.aalinr the ranYirarpapta do
manding bigger wages than I can pay.
and others refusing to accept any work
which takes them away from their own
home. My experience Is this: that men
and women often remain long die solely
because they don't fancy the sort Of work
offered and that persons apparently on the
brink Of starvation refuse a tideover Job
At 81 OF % a week with the indignant re-
mi rk: I can't live on 80 a week. And
l point out that a quarter loaf il better
no bread at all and that when in a place
the chances are all In favor of getting a
raise or Of hearing of a better job else
where / Arm looked at with suspicion.
Il have no end Of patience with seekers
after work. 1t is my business to be patient.
/ easily annoyed or quick TO take
/ could do no good here. l try to
put myself in the applicants place and
unde-st.. Id her fretful. Respondent state
Or Ill temper to biassme against the persons
Who offend.
sIt'sa great mistake 10 imagine applicants
10 this bureau are willing to take almost
sort Of work they can get. for that is
the other day, after several weeks OF
effort in behalf of a woman
Who is worthy and capable. l succeeded
IN getting her a place to a charge OF or
rather to oversee a workroom and a num-
Der Of girls. l wrote 10 her n she oarne
TO get particulars. While l was I
to her in came a lady who does
good deal Of philanthrOpic work md
Who had seen the woman before. On .
rearing he news she congratulated the '
after. The woman with a toss Of her head
i was determined not tn take !
position where would have to take ,
from anybody ,
sThe lady stared and said nothing. She !:
new as well as l did that the woman had J
,esn on the ragged edge Of poverty for
long time, depending often O N the kind I
ICES OF friends for food and ~carfare. But Z
answered: There are very few persons :
AXE orders from some one higher up Z
Another woman, h by the way is
gain out OF work. but who is intelligent
nd capable. has tried my patience perhaps
) about 80 years old. consequently she :
at working for a young girls wage, ;
IL wa under protest that she con- :
to begin at % a week in an office =
mere neT dbh was ihucAiHk anu WOTh Oh +
hat sort. >
1The head OF the concern really made a !,
lace for her at my urgent request. n he n
to raise her pay II she was worth =
!. He kept his word. The woman was :
apable and made herself 80 valuable that .
D six months she was getting $40. Two =
,onths later the force OF employees was :
u Z down and she was discharged. She ,
night nave had the preference had 1t not !
cen that she il hard to get along with. !.
lclined to quarrel with fellow employees !
nd give herself airs. :
-She knew Of her impending dismissal ,
everal weeks ahead. and came to me with /,
he request to be on the ookoutf for another =
oh for her. She is a nervous woman and =
could see she was much distressed over .
,sing her place. The day after she was I
rec abe came in again and this 10 the way :
was greeted: I suppose you have been :
ending me special delivery letters and /
which have misoarried telling me y
I splendid places l could have'-this in the :
lost sarcastic tone. .
Poor thing | said to myself. you are :
orried to death or you wouldn't talk like 4
rat =
-'No. l haven't I told her seriously. :
" the reason that I have nothing you !