The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-15
Herald Reporter Starts Out
with No References-ls
Able to Land Some Jobs, !"
but Can Find No Position.
By A HERALD REPORTER.

Whether il is possible to obtain a
position-or IL necessary a JOHN any
reason. under any circumstances, Is a
question that has been argued since
Jobs were first thought of, and which
probably never will be decided.
Those who never have felt the pinch
of poyerty-who never have had TO
worry enough about work to sit up all
night watching for it-says that man,
II he wants work, can get it
Men who have watched armies OF
workers enviously-sometimes, IL is TO
be feared. contemptuously-say that a
man needs Drawn. clean clothes, and.
above ALL reference. This last. they
say, is essential to obtaining nearly any
job
Ny experience was that a man, in my
case of rather tender years and of
slight physique, can obtain work. In fact,
If my case is an example, he can select
his job: he can in Washington, in sum
mer-the hardest season of the year
minus either Drawn to a considerable ex-
tent. clean clothes, or a reference, get
work that will enable him to eat three
meals a day, sleep at night, and, il he
does not require expensive amusement,
buy clothes.
In order TO be fair. I started from the
Herald office penniless, in clothes that
would not have been worn by man
who recently had been employed. Fur
Their, / left shortly after midnight, a
time when there are few passers-by in
the streets and no reasonable posi-
biIities of profitable employment before
daybreak An added precaution was to
spend the night out-of-doors. so that
would not have the confidence Of man
who had Just left a warm room and
several friends.
ConsuIts the Ads.
BY morning was ready to acknowl-
edge defeat without an effort. Had 1t not
been that / might have been called a
gutter" I would have returned to The
Herald asserting that IL was impossible
for a man who was penniless and without
reference to obtain work.
I started downtown, feeling that, truly,
a man without a home or money to buy
food was hopelessly underfoot- I did not
have enough money TO buy the morning
newspapers. However. was able to con-
suit bulletin boards, for Washington pa
pers post their advertisements
There were probably fifty legitimate adj
vertisements. if j remember correctly.
OF these. two required money One was
for a position as solicitor for The Herald.
II was useless to apply there-they knew
me. Twenty-Five necessitat ted training of
some sort. Five were for colored men.
Four were for boys who owned bicycles.
OF the remainder l selected as pros
poets six Advertisements. Here is what
happened when I Jared forth to see just
what chance there was for employment:
A bar porter was wanted by a cafe
in Seventh Street. kept by descendant
of one of the kings of Americas greatest
State-Ireland. Nothing was said about
experience.
At the risk of creating an anti-climax.
let me say that my first experience came
near spelling me. ! was ready 10 go
back to The Herald and say: "A man can
obtain work. Furthermore, he can obtain
work that is more congenial to most men
than driving a wagon or digging. But
fear You have anticipated me
Terence-I call the proprietor that be-
cause it is not, / hope, one of his names
greeted me as I entered his retreat. He
looked expectant. but did not lose his
smile when l told him that IN spite of
my clothes and hansdog air I was just
the man for the job.
Eats and Then Quits.
He was inclined to doubt; but he wa
pleas withal He was at the point of
refusal told him that l was hungry:
that I was without work; that / would
not accept charity because ! did not Yet
me to have drink.
Now / am thankful that / would not
drink with him. My mind was sluggish. |
or / would have realized that probably |
il was a test At any rate. Terence |
frightened when l told him I was mot !
drinking" To bring the first adventure |
TO an end. I was employed. at a salary
while I was on trial-of IS a week. |
Terence proffered me a breakfast. and
although I knew / was flying a false |
flag ] accepted. In Difference to my con-
science. let me say that | worked out |
that meal. incidentally, lost four
hours of valuable time
Terence, thinking that I was a stran-
ger in Washington. told me that could
have an hour off to look at the town"
Considering my meal paid for-I had
worked three hours-I lost myself: have
not since been back, and l hope that he
sees this story and knows why I added
another .'panha ndier" story to what
know must be large store.
I decided to give Fate a chance to
decide my next experiment station. l
marked six pieces of paper for the six
Jobs ! was considering" Ut is very
hard to get away from that attitude)
Ny selection was an advertisement ask
ing for driver.
After a walk of about three miles, I