The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-10-27

as see that 1t was impartial IN DIS
putes between labor and capital.
The Bureau also would have power
to establish free labor exchanges
Each employment office so conducted
would be required to send a daily re-
port Of business to the clearing
house Of the district. All State and
municipal labor offices would be re
QueSted to cooperate with the Ma
tional Bureau. and to adopt uniform
methods and regulations, besides
sending in daily reports. Included
in the proposals are rules and reg
ulations prohibiting false representa-
tons. requiring notice Of strikes, pro-
hibiting fees before service is rem
dered, and otherwise safeguarding
the patrons of the offices gains ex-
pioition.
Every private employment agency
doing an interstate business, or &C
cepting workme for shipment to
other States, would be required to
come under the jurisdiction of the
Bureau.
The testimony given at the hear
ings Of the Industrial Relations Com
mission showed that in the State of
New Jersey, for example, in nineteen
out OF Twenty-Five agencies the law
was persistently violated as to plac-
ing girls in positions. The Prison
1NcIOlHI ASSOCldt1OL, IN one case, res
sued four girls recommended by an
employment agency to a disorderly
house, and subsequently had the three
men conducting the office sent to
prison for eighteen months. The fact
was established that practically. every
employment agency in New Jersey
violated the law for keeping adequate
records of people sent out to work.
Similar unsatisfactory conditions
obtained in Mnu Vnrl1 W. ~
motive of many of the private en-
ployment agencies lay in the fees for
1lndlng situations, and they care lit
tie about the living conditions in the
poSltlons. If d man leaves a Job
quickly, it means more fees for the
agencies.
Labor conditions in New York city
are unlike those anywhere else. One
estimate is that there are always at
least from $4,000 to 100000 unem-
pioyed persons in New York, while
the number Of available positions is
VARIABLE. Business houses and the
city officials hav co-operated with
the charitable societies to find work
for many Of the idle. The employ
ment OF the New York Association
Tor Improving the Condition of the
Poor interviewed a large number OF
and employers Of factories,
stores. and offices, secretaries of va
rlOuS trade unions. AS soon as it be-
came generally known that about
a third of a million men and women
IN New York must have work, Mayor
Mltcnel, with the cooperation Of the
Chamberlain, Street Cleaning Com
missioner, Commissioner of Charities,
ana the Commissioner of Licenses.
organized a free municipal employ
ment exchange.
Learning to Prevent UNEMPLOYMENT.
enulne aid is being rendered by
one step that was taken in promoting
an understanding on the part Of the
puD1lc as to what can be done here
after along the line of the prevention
OF unemployment, the most impor-
tant service that could be rendered.
A palnstaking examination was
made mi h circumstances Of 1000
OF the homeless unemployed at the
Municipal Lodging House. This COW
cred not only their physical and men
tai Observation-Disclosures, but their lives.
education, n their reasons for he,
Ing out of work. Only forty had been
IN the United States less than three
years, proving that immigrants some
now manage to keep their jobs when
because they will work for lower
wages and displace the workineman
OF higher andard at the first sion
OF industrial depression. Again only
. per cent OF the 1000 had been in
New York less than two months. The
great majority were natives and had
not drifted into he metropolis sim
ply on the bare chance hat thay
would be taken care Of.
Most or the 1000 could do some
thing had the positions been forth
coming. At least 81 per cent were
able to do hard work. Less than :
per cent were permanently unfit for
manual labor.
About 80 per cent ascribed their
dependency to drink. Sixteen Der
cent mad been thrown out Of work
because Of the seasonal character Of
certain industries; IL per cent were
dropped because of industrial NAL
adjustments: 5 per cent because OF
industrial accidents. Only 5 per cen,
old. the great body OF them being I'M
der ~thirty-five years. About 40 ner
of the men were more than sixty years
cent had been skilled workmen
Twenty-tnree per cent had been idle
more than a year, 81 per cent for