Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-01-23
TO AID UNEMPLOYED
Labor Council win Plan Free No
tional Labor Exchange.
AT WASHINGTON THIS MONTH

Assist Employer as Well as En-
pIoyee--ShouId Relieve Lsborers'
Distress, Says Secretary straus.
A great national labor exchange,
free alike to employer and employee,
with branches In all the large cities Of
che 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 Ia
Hor Mr. Straus is now in correspond
cnce with e. H. 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 viii probably be held In the last
week Of the month.
s'1'he most Important OF the subjects
10 be taken up" says Secretary Straus.
sis perhaps that OF the unemployed
HoWsto give work to men out Of work
when there Is no work in sight is a Sc
Tfous problem, but by no means an I'M
solvabe one.
Suppose we take the case of a tim
ner in New York." Mr. Straus 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
tie applies to the bureau of information
II the department of commerce and
labor-which In the meantime has
lcen perfected and enlarged to the
proportions to which we hope to see
it grow and makes his wants known
Ahere. The man In charge of the in
formation of workmen 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
j fngs OF the Alaska and Yukon exposi-
lE7etal workers are needed In Chicago,
sc. Louis and Denver and that 5000
men can find employment in the great
fruit orchards and vineyards of Cali
fornta. all at first class wages. I'd
like 20 take job out In Seattle the
tirlnef says, but how am | TO get
theref We can send you out there
Tor $12.50. and the fare will be taken
out of your first weeks wages the
man at the bureau tells him. SO the
y..hiHe is done. The voorhees, man goes
= - and fnds his work, and the help
.srss o,,,,,' .s-~S N Seattle finds his help.
a. 800. - IL ale TO make such ar
Engagements with the rai.s.a isl tuat re-
duccn 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
abe work may be extended TO prac-
@icaTly cover the whole United States.
when the wants Of the employer
ard the employee can be made thor
rGughIy known to each other" Mr..
Slraus continued ''as soon as their
wants occur a great share of the dis
rtress among the laboring classes will
, disappear Judge Gary of the Steel
! corporation has written me a letter
setting forth his views on the matter,
and I have written him. i am also In
correspondence with other prominent
xnen on the same subject. Messrs.
PowderIy and Keefe OF the immigra-
don service and Donnelly OF the gov
eminent printing Office are In CORE
xpondence with the principal labor
representatives OF the country. and
abe Views of all men interested In the
good OF the worklngman's cause will
he given opportunity for expression mt
the convention"
Since July l, when the bureau of in
formation of the department OF COM
unerce and labor was established. work
for 25I2 men has been found. This
record. brought UP to Dec. 10, Is con
ssdered very gratifying when the fact
Es taken into consideration that the
scope Of the bureau Is still extremely
Eimited and it's operations are practi-
caily unknown 10 the great mass OF
workingmen and only partly under
stood by the employers.