The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-04-09


ment OF labor In aid OF the plan for the I'm
ployment and distribution Of laborers in the
United States; the former through its post.
masters, officers In charge OF branch post Of
fees and rural carriers; and the latter through
its field and other services throughout the Unit
ed States"
? Every ofHcer Of the department Of agriculture,
no matter where he is located, is charged with
the duty Of keeping Washington officials informed
concerning the necessity for workers In the To-
cality in which he resides. Every farmer In the
United States through the post ONCE depart
ment by this time has been, or soon VIII be, fur'
nished with application blanks upon which ne
can state any need which he has Of farm labor
era or Of help Of any description. These blanks
filled In and forwarded will do the service for
which they are intended-the connection OF some
competent man with work Of the kind which he
seeks.
The work which is being done in connection
with farm labor 10, OF course. only one part OF the
service which the department OF labor through
ite division Of Is performing. Manu-
faeturers and employers OF labor OF all kinds are
Furnished with blanks similar to those sent TO the
farmers, except, Of course. that they are ad'
iunted to meet other kinds Of working needs The
correspondence Of the department Is TREMENDOUS
and the work Of giving men work Is going Tor
ward rapidly.
before going into the details Of the mocha
nism of the system by which natives, sometimes
residents, and recently arrived immigrants are
directed 10 fields OF employment something
sbould be said about the development OF TINS
great governmental plan to provide work ior tne
workless. For a quarter OF a century William d
wilson. now q member Of President Wilson's
cabinet as the head Of the department OF labor'
has been deeply Interested, concerned, perhaps
we're a better word, In the solution OF the PROD
lem OF forging the connecting link OF Information
between the man seeking WORK ana te man s
ing workmen.
For lust as long and perhaps a longer period
T v. PowderIy. the chief OF the division OF IN
formation, has been interested in the same prop
lem. Mr.. Powderly has been connected with the
government service for some years and has DC
veIoped a system OF getting the work ana the
~vorlless worker together until today the post
Office department and the agricultural depart
ment are cooperating with the department OF Ia
Dor in a broad and comprehensive plan to reduce
the evil Of unemployment TO a minimum "hien
might be called natural.
Perbapa Mr. Powderly will enter no objection
n one tells a story OF how he first became inter
ested TO a heart and mind feeling point In plans
10 get work for the voorhees,. To me the story
Is an interesting one and II seems that Il ough'
to be to others.
In the year 1879 7. v. Powderly, a machinist by
trade. lost his eyesight. For three months he ga,
I'm darkness. and being unable to work he los
his lob. His sight came back and he started on
tramp looking for work lie was a tramp sech
ing work. not a tramp seeking handouts lie Ter
the United States and went INTO Caheua" IA
found no work. On the eve Of New years gay
fs7s. he found himself IN 81. Thomas, Ont will
no money ia hin pocket, no food In his stomach
and no place to sleep. A Waterman allowed MN
TO sleep In the freighthouse OF a depot on a PEI
made OF bagging. From there Powderiy walke'
70 Buffalo seeking work. There a goodhearte'
freshman gave him breakfast the hrst one ne ma
had for some days. All this time the trampe
was asking himself why there was not som
means OF letting him know where there wa
work. In asking himself this he was ehargini
mis- neart and mind win a purpose In me IN
same purpose which Secretary Wilson Oh the q
nartment OF labor fixed IN his own mine an
heart a quarter Of century ago.
Tramp" Powderiy reached one town wher
there we're pome machine shops. He applied 70
work and there we're no vacancies he ''