Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-30
XMAS EMPLOYMENT
KEEPS WOLF FROM
MANY CITY DOORS
Department Stores Take on
Hundreds to Handle Holi-
day Rush, Relieving Prob
lem of Unemployed.

with the THANKSGIVING turkey and the
Army and Navy football game relegateu
10 the background. the spirit Of Christi
mas ,s beainnlng to manifest itself on all
sides Friends OF the shopgirls are busily
spreading the "Do your shopping early
propa eanda. and members OF the society
tor he Prevention OF Useless Giving,
moro tersely known as "Spugs,' are benu-
inc ali their efforts to gather recruits into
their ranks. -
CAV red and green festoons and
wreaths symbolcal Of the Huletide sea
son have made their appearance IN some
of the shop windows and on every cor
ner premature Santa Claus STANDS IN
an unprofcsslonai suit Of red flannel tin-
Killing his little bell or his tambourine IN
an endenvor to coax contributions out OF
the pockets OF passing pedestrians tor tne
particular charity which ne represents,
and. incidentally, soaring half TO death the
small boy and girl who have not yet been
dlsilIusioned regarding the real history
of Kris Kringle
OF Kris Kingle.
Ono of the most grateful evidences OK
tho approaching holiday ia the renewed
employment which 1t provides Tor tne
great mass Of men and women IN the
city who arc out Of Jobs. This is the
time of the year when the department.
stores. one and all, increase their FORCES
by the thousands and n visit to any one
OF the employment bureaus of the large
shops demonstrates how eagerly this
time has been anticipated by many
MANY REFUSED EMPLOYMENT
rTho time was" said n manager of the
employment bureau OF one Of the large
Market street department stores today,
"vhon we had to advertise again ana
again in order to get force large enough
to handle the Christmas rush, but now
wc have so many applicants that IL ls
nc cessary TO turn large number down
of those who come to us looking TOT
work"
Outside of his office jam OF men,
women, boys and girls, jostled each other
nnxiously In an endeavor to get an carry
hearing from the manager a nathetic
spectacle they made, some of them ola
women. and others young girls and men
whose pinchcd faces and worn clothes
were II silent testimony to the circun-
stances they have been forced to endure.
beginning with the middle of November
and continuing up until the second week
In December the department stores take
on gradually force which counted IN
the aggregate totals into the tens OF
thousands. Saleswomen and salesmen'
cashiers. inspectors, cash-girls and deliv-
cry men are all needed, and. though the
employment, in tho majority OF cases Is
only temporary, ending with tho holiday
season. yet It Is always thankfully ro-
ceived.
TRAINED FOR RUSH.
The head of one Of the employment de-
partmEts stated this morning his store
increased its force by 1900 during the
Christmas season, taking them on usually
the last week of November ard the first
in December so as to have them broken
In to the art of selling goods by the time
the real Christmas Jams begin to invade
the shop.
Many married women arc enabled to
work on half time, and the demands for
half-tlme Jobs are simply enormous Thfe
hours for these are usually from II II
the morning to in the afternoon, ANNE
woman with children and a home wHer
is sorely in need OF money can set hc(il
house in order before starting out, hol9t
a half-time position in q shop, earning
thereby s. or sc n week. and get back In
time to prepare her dinner.
Threc-fourths of the sales force takenf'
on are women, but the delivery dcpartIe
ment of course employs only men thusl
equallzlng matters. BY the end of this
week, according to one employer, the
business of acquiring a Christmas force
will be over and an apprcciable number
of Philadelphla's unemployed will be pro-
vided for, temporarily, at least.