Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-09
TO AID UNEMPLO
Labor Council Will Plan Free Ma
tional Labor Exchange.

4 great national labor exchange, |
free alike to employer and employee.
with branches in all the large cities of
the country, is one of the results to be
sought by the council of labor that
will meet in Washington this month at
the suggestion of Secretary StrauS of
the department of commerce and la
Dor Mr. Straus is now in correspond
ence with E. II. Gary of the United
States Steel corporation and other
large employers of labor throughout
the country. and plans for the conven-
ton are rapidly being formed. The
date has not been set for the meeting,
but it will probably be held in the last
week Of the month.
''The most important Of the subjects
to be taken up" says Secretary Straus,
''is perhaps that of the unemployed.
How to give work to men out of work
when there is no work in sight Is Sc
rious problem, but by no means an I'M
solvable one.
Suppose we take the case Of tin
ner in New York." Mr.. Stratus contin-
ued. "who has just lost his job be-
cause work in his particular line has
given out. He tramps the streets for
several days and finds other timers
in the same predicament. After he
has convinced himself that there is
nothing for him to do in the big city
he applies to the bureau of information
of the department Of commerce and
labor-which in the meantime has
been perfected and enlarged to the
proportions to which we hope to see
1t grow-and makes his wants known
there. The man in charge of the in
formation Of worlSmen wanted takes
down his big book and looks over the
| pages. He finds that 1000 timers are
| wanted in Seattle to work on the build
| ings Of the Alaska and Yukon EXPOSE
! tion. that four or FIVE hundred sheet
| metal workers are needed In Chicago.
st. Louis and Denver and that 5000
men can find employment in the great
| fruit orchards and vineyards Of Cali
fornia, all at first class wages. I'd
| like to take a job out in Seattle the
timer says, but how am / to get
| thereT We can send you out there
for $3.50 and the fare will be taken
| out of your first weeks wages the
! man at the bureau tells him. So the
thing is done. The voorhees, man goes
west and finds his work, and the help
less employer in Seattle finds his help.
| We hope to be able to make such ar
engagements with the railroads that re-
duced rates may be obtained for men
who are going after work, and by the
establishment of offices in the various
big cities Of the country the scope OF
the work may be extended to prac.
tically cover the whole United States
when the wants Of the employer
and the employee can be made thor.
oughly known to each other" Mr.
Straus continued, ''as soon as their
wants occur great share Of the dis
tress among the laboring classes will
disappear. Judge Gary Of the Stee
corporation has written me a letter
setting forth his views On the matter
and have written him. am also In
correspondence with other prominent
men on the same subject. Messrs
II Powderly and Keefe Of the immigra
u ton service and Donnelly of the gov
eminent printing Office are in CORE
spondence with the principal labo
representatives Of the country. ant
the views Of all men interested in tn,
good Of the workingman's cause vii
be given opportunity for expression a
the convention"
y Since July 1. when the bureau of in
formation Of the department Of com