Evening journal., 1914-02-18
Why ARE MANY
WORKERS IDLE?
Federal Commission TO Seek
FtCtS Concerning the
Unemployed
INDUSTRIAL CEKTERS
FIRST TO Be VISITED

WASHINGTON, Feb, 1S--For the
purpose OF finding work for tho uu.
employed now walking the streets OF
the country's larger cities and in
dustrisl centers, the Federal Com
mission on Industrial Rotations in
augurated an investigation to extend
from Boston 10 Kansas City.
Attention first will be given to pub
lie and private employment agencies,
TO ascertain TO what extent the trou-
bic is due to their lack Of organiza-
ton and inehlciency, and four in
yestgators have been assigned 10
undertake this task with orders TO
report within six weeks
The Commission, it was announced,
regards the unemployment problem
as a permanent one. because the
present conditions in the labor field
are practically the same as exist
every year at this season. Therefore.
besides seeking TO lind some measure
OF relief Immediately for the suffer
ing, it Is proposed to gather ma
terial for the preparation of legis-
lai Oh by Congress 20 establish "a
Federal employment bureau to serve
as y clearinghouse for public and
private agencies and 10 direct the
movement of migratory workers
100000 Idle In New York.
Stories of suffering particularly in
New York city, where $4,000 men
and women. many of them with little
children dependent upon them. are
reported out OF employment, with
only charity 70 keep them from starv-
ing and freezing, stirred the COM
mission TO action
Hundreds of thousands of men,
industrious and anxious TO work. are
either out OF employment or without
assurance that their jobs will con-
TIME another week or another day"
said Chairman Frank p. Walsh.
Groups numbering from 100 TO 1000
stand outside our great industrial
plants each morning at o'clock.
hoping the foreman viii pull them
out of Inc and put them to work.
They are thankful If they get only a
few hours employment
Poorly nourished and thinly clad,
these men gather each morning for
the foreman's inspection. submit to
his rapid scrutiny, and then many
drift away to the cheap saloons or
cheap lodg'ng-houses TO wait for an-
other chance.
"None can see the spectacle with
out realizing that here is something
society cannot AFFORD TO tolerate. An
employer never thinks of laying OF
his boohkeeper or clerk after en-
ploying him three or four hours IN a
/ day or three or four days in a week
Must Solve Problem.
The problem Of continuous en-
/ ployment for laborers Is more dim-
cult, but Il Is problem that mus
be solved If we are TO check the IN.
crease in our great army of hope.
less, homeless men.
3 III nothing else will avail Il may
/ be necessary to urge insurance
against non-employment.
Federal control OF all employment
I agenoEs doing an interstate busi-
ness is urged upon the Commission
by Il W. Carpenter. manager of the
National Employment Exchange in
New York city. This bureau was
organized by some of the largest en-
ployers OF labor in the metropolis
TO serve as a model. and the claim
] Is made that the evils from which
migratory workers suffer at the
, hands Of other agencies have beer
! eliminated in its operation. Otto T
/ Barnard is president of the EXchang
and John r. Macarthur, contractor
for the Ashokan dam. IS vice-press
! dent"
Casual employment, the great cause
for the demand for bread lines, viii
be attacked by the Commission. Co
] operation in the effort to eliminate
this evil will be urged upon all em
/ ployers.