New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-08
I'm Starving and Can't Get
Work; What Can You
Do? Man Asks Women.
MANY MEMBERS
TAKE UP CHALLENGE
In Minute Hungry Applicant Is
Sent Off Happy to Food
and Employment.

An employment bureau was opened
impromptu yesterday at the Suffrage
Shop Of the Women's Political Union,
at 663 Fifth av. a forlorE male mem
Der Of the army Of the unemployed
pressed the button. The suffragists
did the rest.
At the conclusion Of the noon meet
ing Mrs. Norman De X. Whitehouse, as
usual, invited the audience to ask
questions. A man stood up. He was
thin and pale, ne had only one eye and
his clothes bore out what he said.
81 want TO know" he began, what
the suffragists are going to do in the
matter OF the unemployed and starv-
ing. The Republicans amt done any
thing. The Democrats amt done any
thing. WI! the women do anything
If they get the yote?"
81 came here from New Hampshire
two weeks ago and I've tramped New
York City trying TO find a job. Pm
a machinist, but I'll wash dishes or do
anything. I'm hungry. I've been in
a hundred restaurants to-day and
couldn't get slice of bread. What
I'm telling you is Gods truth, and
there's plenty in my fix. It's pretty
hard when a man that's willing can't
get work. What are the women going
TO do about it,"
Blames the Employers.
Mrs. Whitchouse turned the question
over to Miss Alice Carpenter. who had
been making a suffrage speech. Miss
Carpenter said that il she had her
way big employers would be compelled
20 carry the workers through dull
periods when there was no work.
These employers like a surplus Of
labor" she said. 80 that when a rush
period comes they'll have a reserve to
draw upon. Very well, they should
support that surplus. But what do
they do in fact?
what did Stone & Webster, the
electrical firm speak Of them be
cause they are a Boston firm and I'm
from Boston what did they do when
the panic came? Use their riches TO
help their employees through the hard
times No, they turned them of by
hundreds. | am one sufiragist who
would prevent such injustice by law.
"One reason why many men and
women are out of work is that they
are not trained TO do anything. The
men who make the laws have managed
these things very badly. They don't
build enough schools where children
can be trained. New York City has
lust promised. as a condition of Sc
curing a loan needed 10 pay the inter
est on bond issues, TO erect no public
buildings for two years. That means
that At the end of two years there VIII
be 5000 children on part time. or with
no seats at all in school. If the men
have managed so badly that they have
70 promise not TO build schools in or
der 10 keep the city government going
they need woman's help at the polls"
He Gets Job.
Miss Carpenter then told the man
who asked the question that she
thought she could help him. Other
women pressed around with similar Of
fers, but it was man who gave him
the wanted job. A male sufragist.
who modestly refused TO have his name
printed, told the man from New Hamp-
shire 70 report at his shop for work,
and John Wilson-thats the mans
name: present address,, any park bench
that's handy thanked the suifraglst
fervently and fastened OFF TO obey.
Fire Commissioner Adamson, VINO
was to have spoken at the noon meet
ing, had blaze TO put out somewhere
and didn't appear. Neither did Dr'
Anna Howard Shaw, who was down
on the programme. Mrs. james Lees
Laidlaw made a speech, and informed
the audience that the slO5,ol5 raised
at the Carnegie Hall rally on rrlday
night was increased TO Sll4,0OO by
a contribution yesterday.
At the afternoon meeting the shop
was crammed with people to hear
George McAneny make his maiden
suffrage speech. The President OF the
Board OF Aldermen admitted that he
was a recent convert.
al didn't use 10 believe in IT,, ne
said. but working along In the city
government. seeing how Ideals are
changing. how the trend IL toward
more milk stations, more preventive
work. and how it is women who are
pushing these things, and, above all,
seeing the splendid achievements of
our woman Commissioner of Correc-
tion. DR.. Davis. and our woman head
OF the child hygiene department in
the BOARD of Health, DR.. Baker, | have
come 70 see that if women can accom-
plish 80 much without the vote, they
can be of much more service with the
vote"
Mrs. Inez Milholland Boissevain
also spoke in the afternoon. =.
The noon meetings will be discon-
tinued this week, but the afternoon
meetings will be longer, and there are
:. l. ,,ot;o, nirtures pvprv dav at 4