United labor bulletin., 1910-03-18


showing.
The free employment bureau law is
but one OF several statutes that were
fostered, introduced at the request of and
fought through the Colorado Legislature
by the labor unions of the state. The
imperative need of the free employment
bureau law was forcibly brought to the
attention of the working men by the
abuses incident TO the fee offices. some
OF which abuses were not altogether the
fault OF the employment agents them
selves, but rather the rascally labor
agents of the big corporations and con
tracing firms. But both were in a meas
are responsible for the grating that was
done on the unskilled laborers who could
Ill afford to pay the fees which were
and are exacted from them before they
could command employment at the hard
est and poorest paid of all labO, One
Of the schemes worked was f1- tie labor
agents to enter into a conspiracy with
the managers OF the fee offices to keep
a constant stream OF men coming and
goiag from the work in progress. that a
fee might be collected from each appli
cant. AS soon as the men reached their
places of employment and had been given
opportunity to earn the amount of their
fare and other expenses incurred by The
contracting concern. conditions were of
ten made SO unpleasant that they would
quit and return to the city. On the next
train another supply would be brought
in and the operation repeated. The fees
collected from these unfortunates were
usaully divided between the labor agent
or foreman on the job and the keeper
OF the fee employment ONCE.
While the law strictly enJoined this
grating system. and while the city OF
Denver had ordinances providing for TX
ereise OF supervision over employment
agencies. the abuse appeared to grow
rather than decrease. All this was well
known 10 those active in the labor move
ment OF the state. but 1t was very hard
matter. for various reasons. to secure
a conviction. Invariably the labor agent
foreman and manager OF the employm nj
Office would testify together. for their
mutual protection. and the laborer with
out friends or funds was at n great
disadvantage.
After the present law had been intro
duced at two or three sessions of the
Legislature. its passage was finally Sc
cured by the Sixteenth General Assembly
one OF the very few meritorious meas
nres that succeeded in getting by that
body. The law provides. among other
things, that Free Employment Offices
shall be established in all towns of Colo
RADIO with a population OF $4,000 or more
Denver. Pueblo and Colorado Springs are
the three towns In the state that meet
this requirement.
The first Office to be established was
located in Denver. and opened fo- bust
ness in the month of August. 1907 T. E
jackson was the first superintendent
and served for two years. For obvious
reasons the Office did not seem to be
much OF success under this manage.
ment.
The statute provides that the Free
Employment bureaus shall be under The
supervision of the state labor commits
sioner tsecretary of the state). and that
the deputy labor commissioner shall rec
ommend eligible persons to the secre-
tary of state for appointment. Each
Free Employment office is entitled to n
superintendent and an assistant upon
the appointment of Edwin " Brake MS
deputy labor commissioner, the latter
gentlemean decided in his aggressive
fashion that the employment offices
could and should be made successful lie
contonded that men and women conyers-
ant with the needs OF the laborinr
classes should be put In charge aud
while 1t was seldom that member OF n
trades union made application for EN-.
ployment at one of these Offices, Mr.
Brake was outspoken in his views that
members OF labor organizations should |
I'LL these positions. He was of the opin. |
ion they were better qualified than those
who had little or nothing in common with |
the man out of job" 1t was plainly
asserted that politics would cut little
figure-ability, familiarity with and apti- |
tude for this sort of work was what the |
deputy labor commissioner demanded.
The result was that three trades UNI
ionists were appointed by Secretary OF |
State Pearce for the superintendency OF |
the three oilces-R. L.. Croskey. of the |
Cooks Union, In Denver: Lee Tanquary, |
of the Railway Telegraphers Union, IN |
Pueblo. and II. l.. Bishop of the Car |
penters' Union. at Colorado Springs. |
Each one of the above has made good |
and reflected credit upon the labor move.
ment of the state.
In Denver the assistant is Mrs. Louise
M Van Horn. lady prominent in wo-
mans club and philanthrophic work. Mrs.
Van Horn has charge of the female de-
partment. and is proving most efficient in
this position.
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