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 r. 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 Omces, 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
he operates in every large city in
the country. rs per cent OF the hotels
and restaurants. and In the railroad
gangs. Each month the iaborer
turns over the sum required. or he
loses his Job. Sometimes the
straw boss Is 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 IS OF them out of busi-
ness recently"
Mr.. knight also told of campaigns
against crooked employment agen-
cies. 80 of which have had their L.
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 1000 men TO Oklahoma.
taking from them S12 apiece for Jobs
that did not exist. The agency was
forced to refund 81 to some and s.
to others OF this small army. In all.
SIS 700 has been refunded by crook
ed employment agencies in the last
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 In the
great wheat belt, and that they ad-
vertise carelessly and truthlessly for
farm hands to handle the immense
crop. with the result that thousand,
of men descend upon the harvest
fields only to ind 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 oficials Of the varf.
Gus states to stop this abuse.
Walter L. Sears, superintendent Of
the New York city employment
bureau. discussed systems Of records
for employment of1ces. Louise C..
Odencrantz, superintendent OF the
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 onices." The
business meeting will finish Its worh
before night.
James v. Cunningham, OF Detroit
state labor commissioner OF Michi
gan. was elected president OF the
Association of Government Labor
Oficials, al the closing session
Thursday afternoon. by unanimous
vote. Other ofhcers were chosen ~
follows: vice-presidents. Ella 81
/ Haas. Ohio: John 9. B. Davie. New
Hampshire; r. d. Hoffman. Mime
sofa: Madge Nave. Of Kentucky
and J. p. Cline6inst, OF virginia; sec
retary ry-treasurer. John r. Fitzgerald
Buffalo was chosen as the place fol