The Detroit times., 1915-07-03
Illinois Man Tells How
Foreigners Are
Mulcted
FARMERS CALLED
UNSCRUPULOUS
Convention Dislikes
Way They Lure Men
to Wheat Fields

How the straw boss" preys on
people of his own nationality, and
gets rich by taking toll Of their
monthly wages. getting them dis
charged II they refuse TO turn over
a stipulated sum TO him. was told by
Richard J. knight chief inspector
OF the Illinois supervision of private
employment agencies, Friday morn
ing.
MIR. knight. with James T. Patter-
son, president of the Illinois state
board Of commissioners OF labor, Is
attending the third annual meeting
OF the American Association OF Pub
lie Employment ofices, in the Ho-
tel Griswold.
The straw boss gets IS TO $40 a
month for keeping workers on their
jobs" said Mr.. knight. II believe
be operates In every large city In
the country. IS per cent of the hotels
and restaurants. and in the railroad
gangs Each month the laborer
turns over the sum required. or he
. loses his job Sometimes the
straw boss Ia the foreman. some
times the superintendent: sometimes
he splits with the superintendent
He operates among foreign workers,
who are too ignorant TO stand
/ against him. or TO be aware OF their
own rights. We nave campaigned
against them vigorously in Illinois.
and have put 90 of them out Of bust
ness recently
Mr.. knight also told of campaigns
against crooked employment agen
cies. 80 of which have had their H.
censes revoked in the last year
Some of these agencies have been
made to refund the money which
they took from their dupes. One
large agency. according TO Mr
Knight. sent 1900 men to Oklahoma
taking from them si2 apiece for jobs
that did not exist. The agency was
forced 10 refund s. 10 some and IS
to others OF this small army. In all
$4,000 has been refunded by crook,
cd employment agencies in the las,
year
A paper on The national farm
labor exchange" by Charles McCaf-
free. OF South Dakota, aroused con
siderable discussion. IL was charged
that this exchange has fallen under
the domination OF the farmers Ia the
great wheat belt, and that they ad.
vertise carelessly and truthlessIy for
farm hands to handle the immense
crop. with the result that thousand,
Of men descend upon the harvest
fields. only 10 find that they are not
wanted and must return whence
they came. A resolution was intro.
duced. and may be adopted later In
the day. calling for cooperation be
tween the labor officials OF the vari.
Gus states to stop this abuse.
Walter L. Sears, superintendent OF
the New York city employment
bureau. discussed systems OF records
for employment ofYices. Louise G.
VI Aut
women's department OF the state en-
ployment bureau, Brooklyn. talked
on The placing Of women by public
employment ofices." Grace Abbott,
OF the Immigrant Protective league,
spoke on The immigrant workers
and public employment ofices." The
business meeting viii finish It's work
before night.
James V. Cunningham, OF Detroit.
state labor commissioner OF Michi-
gan. was elected president OF the
Association Of Government Labor
Offcials, at the closing session,
IAsFsaay afternoon unanimous
vote. Other officers were chosen a.
follows vice-presidents. Ella VI.
Haas, Ohio; John 8. B. DavIe, New
Hampshire; r. ID. Hoffman. Mime.
sofa; Madge Nave. OF Kentucky.
and J. p. ClineCinst, Of virginia: sec
retary-treasurer, John T. Fitzgerald.
Buffalo was chosen "a the place for