The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28

any bureau trying TO help them. Instead
Of trying TO like what they can get they
insist upon getting what they like, and
when they don't get II they lay all the blame
at tho door OF employment agencies and
spread iToadcest hard luck stories OF the
most p- titetic description.
There are college girls who do not hesi-
late In summer to 60 to mountain resorts
and earn considcrahie money working In
the hotels and boarding houses az waitresses;
but suggest such q thing TO some Of the
quite ordinary. women who come 70 us
looking for work. and they would be deeply
wounded"
Il venture to say" remarked the manager
Of an employment bureau which does not
deal with domestic servants. that II the
have had n beautiful home Of their own and
understand the art Of house decoration, &c.
as n writer did say the other day, were
willing to serve In some household capacity
in III summer hotels. boarding houses
and institutions--not necessarily in the
kttohen-tbey would come back In the fall
with enough money to give them courage
to 60 to work TO get the sort OF employ
mont they banker after.
But, no. My applicants want a place
to travel In luxury as companion. or 10
chaperon young women around the country.
or as private secretary, although they
know nothing whatever about stenography,
or else an Office place or some easy clerical
work OF the Renteel order requiring no
experience 40 on. Most OF these
persons would rather starve; they would
infinitely prefer TO beg from friends and
~acquaintances han to condescend TO do
anything practical which by any chance
might come under the Q OF mental.
Then these same persons go around with
tears in their eye telling every, one who
will listen what an awful place New York
10 to live in when out OF work"
Men who are in touch with mems EN-
ployment agencies and have studied the
subject OF the man out OF work from every
country where men are able to put up the
blum OF wanting work and finding none
with such success as in New York, for the
reason that no other city has 30 nan diff
ferent charitable agencies. 30 many ways
whereby a man may scratch along at the
expense Of the community for a long time
without actually suffering. And that a
large part of hard luck stories are more
or less bluff they frankly believe.
1T is true" said n of them. that men
every day are patrolling the streets in search
OF work, applying in person at this. that and
the other concern for work, and that this,
and the other concern turns them
down. II 10 true also that some OF these
men, a few OF them, really want work.
Eventually II these men stick to their quest
and make their wants known at the proper
they generally get work. Per-
haps a few make an effort and don't get
work-IW concede that much. But the
majority are only blufing.
The merchants and business men visited
know this without even giving the matter q
thouRht-that Is they are not convinced
by the applicants manner. their interest is
not aroused, their attention is not arrested,
turn him away without ceremony, and
he deserves il. From time to time some
snterprtsinR young man studying social
conditions takes il into his head TO make a
our of New York TO ascertain how easy
Dr. how hard it is for a stranger To get work. |
subsequently, he makes out a pitiful
tale Of doors shut in his face and no work, |
sven of the most laborious character, to be
in this great city. often wonder
hat these enterprising youths never suspect
hat the employers they come in contact
with know they are blufing. The manner
u a man or a woman who il only playing mt
work ia not convincing. Hard
with him or her. Another thing:
In intelligent. well appearing and appar-
we'll educated young man doesn't go
n search Of work after the methods adopted
~ these students of sociology. Not at all.
lie puts in his application in the proper
and he finds ont where these quar-
ers are and how to reach them by appealing
o one or more Of the societies or agencies
in New York for that very pur-
,ose. He puts some system into his hunt
or work, and he doesn't usually need TO
yrite long yarns to h newspapers about
he result.
Il DOM profess to be one Of the know il
lis or to be infallible in my Judgments.
a possible l may be mistak en- when l say
hat the man who wants to work and ia not
DO hnicky about the sort Of work he can
ct in an emergency and for a start, 30 long
8 il ia respectable work, need not be out OF
job in New York forty-eight hours"