Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-16


trial situation was very much improved
and the army of unemployed was smaller.
This winter every wheel is turning,
there is unprecedented activity in every
branch of trade and the demand for labor
is much greater than the supply. The
only excuse for idleness today is incom-
potency or unwillingness to accept en-
ployment that is offered. But there will
be an army of unemployed in each of the
large cities. as usual. and 1t will be COM
posed of recruits from the rural districts
who prefer to spend the winter months in
the farms or in the labor camps of con-
tractors.
Immigration as Argument.
The strongest argument in favor of the
proposition that there is job for every
man who is willing to work is found in
the flood of nearly million immigrants
from foreign countries who would cease
to come il there was nothing here for
them to do. Unfortunately a large pro-
portion Of them settle down in the crowd
ed sections of the great cities rather
than go out into the country where the
labor is in great demand, and where
they can live much more comfortably and
happily and have an opportunity to i'm
prove their condition and educate their
children.
Every state in the Union is calling for
farm hands and several for factory hands
particularly in the south. Conventions
are being held; immigration bureaus have
been established; commissioners have
been employed to visit foreign countries
and divert home seekers to particular
sections Of the United States. The federal
government has an employment bureau
for the purpose of keeping the immigra-
ton officials informed of the demand for
labor in different sections SO that they
-
where they are needed most That bu-
reau has today applications for between
three and four thousand men OF all kinds
of trades and occupations, which indicates
the scarcity Of labor.
Sources Of Information Suggested.
If Mr.. Reinach WILL correspond with the
engineers employed by the reclamation
| service Of the government, or with con-
tractors in any part of the country who
have undertaken large jobs, he will learn
that there is work for every man who is
willing to handle a shovel or use his
hands. II he will write to the boards of
agriculture in New York. New Hampshire
and other New England states, he will
find that thousands of farms are offered
for sale because the owners cannot get
help to work them. If he will inquire at
the employment bureaus in Chicago, New
York. Philadelphia, Baltimore and other
great cities. he will be told that work
with good wages is offered in every di-
rection, and that the demand has con-
tinued to be unsatisfied for the last six
months. If he will travel through the
western states, particularly the Pacific
Coast country, he will find a similar sit
uation over there, and demand for tens
of thousands of farm laborers who would
be given permanent employment.
These conditions prevail in every agri-
cultural state in the Union. and they
have prevailed for several years. Only
few weeks ago / explained that the farm
ers of the west will not raise poultry,
notwit hstanding the high price of eggs
and all kinds of chickens, because they
do not want to stay on their farms dur
ing the winter months. A dozen or more
farmers took the trouble to write and
correct me, saying that the true reason
is that they cannot get help to care for
their chickens. and when they succeed
In doing so the wages demanded are so
high that they absorb all OF the profit
And. furthermore. they say that farm
hands are getting so high toned" that
their employers have to hire servants to
wait on them.
The states of louisiana, Georgia, South
Carolina and North Carolina have made
appropriations of money to induce labor
ers to come to that section to work upon
the plantations and in the factories.
There is now offered permanent employ
ment for at least a quarter of a million
men in those states alone.
Trouble With the Unemployed.
The trouble is that the armies of un-
employed that we hear SO much about
will not go where they can ind work and
will not accept work that liz offered to
them, because they prefer to do some
thing else or are dissatisfied with the
wages or object to the surroundings.
Last winter. when there were many
thousands of idle men in New York. one
Of the contractors on the big reservoir
that is now being built In the Catskills
to supply that city with water came
down for workmen and attended a meet
ing Of 1.-The unemployed" For more than
an hour he listened to the speeches of
fervid orators who demanded work to
buy bread to keep their wives and chill
dren from starving, and threatened to
loot the city unless they were given an
opportunity to earn a living.
When an opportunity was given him he
made a little speech Offering employment
at 81 day for every man present. He
explained the kind of work. the accom-
modationS and other particulars. and
said that every man who wanted a job
should report on the Jersey side OF the
Weehawken ferry the next morning at .
o clock. where he would be sent up to
the Catskills in a special train without
cost. This offer was received with many
jeers mingled with feeble applause, and
several men inquired for further partic-
ulars. The next morning four persons re-
ported at Weehawken. One OF them
wanted a job as timekeeper. another
wanted to be cook and two husky
Swedes were willing to take the work
that was offered them without making
any conditions.
Canvassed the Bread Line.
The same gentleman went down the
famous bread line" on the BOwery and
handed printed ''dodger' to every man.
saying that permanent employment
would be offered him in the Catskills with
board and lodging. Not even one re-
sponded, and the next night the con-
tractor went to inquire the reasons why.
Recognizing several of the men he had
seen the night before. he asked them the
direct question, and they replied frankly
that they preferred to stay in New York
and Etarve rather than work In the Cat
skills with good food and good wages and
warm quarters.
The manager of one of the largest
manufacturing establishments In the