The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-27
Help Wanted"- Apply to Uncle Sam
By LOUIS IT. POST Assistant Secretary U. s. Department of Labor

ton into this new department the bureau of immigration and it's division of in- formation were strengthened in ther functions with reference to wage earning interests by the prescribed purpose or the department. "to foster, promote and de- velop the welfare of the wage earners of the United States to improve their working conditions and to Advance their opportunities for profitable employment. Opportunities for utilizing this instru- mentality came to the department in May. 1914. The Secretary of Labor then
 received from the labor commissioner
 of Oklaho A telegraphic call for har-
 vest hands. HIS favorable response
 brought similar appeals from Kansas. Missouri and South Dakota. All these 1 states are In the great wheat belt where, at harvest time, the need of help from outside Is phenomenal. Tn that region during the six weeks from early June to the middle of July every year. five to ten times as many workers are needed for
 harvesting as can be employed in the sa ame region during the entire eight months from September to June.
 Secretary Wilson responded to those
 wheat belt calls by securing the assist i ance of the postoffice department which | caused the postoffices of the country to | post bulletins of the department of labor announcing this temporary need of the
 western harvest fields.
 I From Salem's Fire
 | The object was so promptly effected | that the announcements were recalled before the end of June, an excessive sup ply of harvesters having then oeen cured. Hardly had the harvest help episode ended when the disastrous fire | at Salem, Mass, suggested further lines
 of national work in labor distribution. A | large number of factory workers were
 thrown out of employment by that dis ] a ster. and the local relief committee so- 1 icited the aid of the department of la | bor. Secretary Wilson again utilized the 1 bureau of immigration and the division | of information. As result hundreds
 of the Unemployed wage earners of Sa- 1 lem were soon placed in other localities 1 at their accustomed work.
 Prompted by the results of those two
 experiences, and the large possibilities of l like kind which they suggested, the de-
 partment entered at once upon the na- l tional labor exchange project which it Is
 now developing. In this work. both the 1 postoffice department and the department | of agriculture have enlisted heartily The
 department of the interior and the de- | partment of commerce also are cordially | co-opera ting. Through these and other
 executive agencies local we'll as na- tional. much may be expected.
 | It is not at all improbable that the de- | pa: tment of labor will be able to pro- mote labor distribution extensively | and satisfactorily, that public lands and arid lands reclaimed by govern
 mental irrigation systems may be util- | .zed in aid thereof, that farm credit and farm making projects may be stim ulated for it's further promotion, and
 that agricultural and other vocational 1 training may come comparatively into
 this service for the solving of employ
 ment problems. As yet, however, the
 principal work actually under way
 relates to the national labor exchange as an employment agency.
 Employment Zones
 Soon after the beginning of the pres 1 ent calendar year. IS employment
 zones were mapped out. They cover l the entire continental United States Tn
 every zone there is a headquarters, in several there are sub branches 1 At the headquarters of each an im- migrant inspector is in charge IIe Is assisted by at least one understudy.
 also an officer of the immigration serv- 1 Ice, so that an experienced represen- tstive may always be in attendance. 1 In all postoffices, employment bulletins are posted which ask these questions; ., q you need help?' Do you want work?'
 The form of application for em- pIe yers requires them to give refer ences. and to state the kind of work. length of employment the hours of labor, wages. frequency of wage pay mcnts, whether wage payments are to be in money or by checks fand If by checks the facilities for cashing them), living accommodations and cost. store accommodations and prices. whether strikes or other labor disputes exist or are contemplated. and such other facts as the department may need In order to bring employer and worker together upon terms that are In the in- serest of both For like reasons the forms for wage workers applications make corresponding requirements. It is too soon to estimate the actual
 or possible usefulness of this national