New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-26
Over 80? Want a Job?
Chance Is Slim, Girls
Even Women of High Ability Need "PulP'
Tribune Investigator Sees Her 81
Dwindle While She Watches
Heart-breal<ing Struggle
By ELEANOR BOOTH SIMMONS.

/ clared my new acquaintance, bluntly'
Another woman, pushing her wa!
from desk 20 door, spoke 20 the Keen
eyed one.
i've failed in the test she muir
INJURED. 81 can't think what's the MAJ
ter with me, II was an easy test, only
a hundred words minute and
failed"
you" exclaimed The keen-eyed one
"Why. your speed is 100 words MN
ute. You've filed responsible positions
for years
Younger Ones Confident.
81 guess ! was nervous" said the
Mother Anyhow. made mistakes"
THAT just shows put in third
woman. who stood AZ my elbow. "how
little these tests really count The
girls fresh from the commercial schools
succeed i'm test. chiefly because
they're so sclf-confdent Nothing rat
ties them But the older ones get
nervous, somehow, and vet when il
really comes down 10 day-by-day work
in the Office they can do il better and
faster, and they are far more reliable
They care more about the lob. and
they aren't thinking all the time about
getting married. But an employer will
take young one every time
J made my way 10 bench and sa;
down. There was no chance to reg
lister the desk WAS so surrounded; anC
what was the use OF my registering
]. too. was over thirty.
Around me rose the buzz Of con.
versation. 4 fsvorte topic seemed "a
be the traits Of employers.
"lf hadn't OF needed the work. .
said fuzzy-haircd girl with All elab.
crate hat and soilcd collar. 81
wouldn't stayed a minute. He was the
meanest guy. Keep me working after
hours day after day, an he might OF
known ! had an engagement TO 90 out
with my fella. Most every girl wants
10 go out evenin's with her fclla. Then
he fired me. Said he was rcducin' the
force. Well. ! can 90 out every even
IN now. but somehow / haven't got the
spirit. Girls. ] gotta get a job by mex,
week. or ! don't know what"
Her young, uncultured voice was
lost IN the general hum. A pretty
slender creature behind me was speak
ing.
"Hcs. it's hard TO be without work.
but my room is only 50 a week. and
! cook my meals over the gas jet.
Girls. ] sold my ring. can live on
]; for two weeks yet. I've nobody de-
pending on me. Mary Garrett. now.
she has z sick mother
Where pull Counts.
There was 2 queer feeling clutching
a my throat. J made my way TO the
desk and registered, muttering that !
would take the test tomorrow. When
! got 4 grip on myself perhaps | could
make stab at writing a hundred
words minute. But my hands were
shaking now.
| walked down Broadway to another
agency. This was almost As crowded
as the other. but downstairs in the
sslesroom q kindly man. Of whom |
inquired the way 10 the agency. took
the trouble 70 explain things 70 me.
. ! told him hoped to find secretarial
position in which the fact that
oidn't know stenography or the touch
system OF typing, so popular now
would not matter.
"Hum," he said. There aren't many
such positions. 4 man doesn't need
any one to take charge Of his CORE
Spondence. because 4 firm has sets OF
| ANi Ht ANNh'ic. al. XIII Iu5L OUT u
school. willing TO work for low
wage, has intelligence to fill out these
forms. And when q man docs wan,
4 secretary he generally has some ono
IN his scquaintanccship who suits, or
some friend recommends one. You
can't get place like that without a
pull and that's the truth"
! climbed the stairs and sat down
on a rear bench. A gentle-faccd gin
Of maybe twenty-five sat beside me
and spoke 10 her.
eyes, these are hard times since
the war began" she said. 81 never
was out Of work so long before. I'm
afraid there isn't much use in my
coming here. or YOU either. if you
arc stranger. These places have
their favorites, like most everybody
If you're known and liked by the head
man you are likely TO get a Job, but
YOU can't do much without some sort
Of pull"
Way Wages Are Kept Down.
finally secured an interview will
tho head man. Yes, ] could register
No, he couldn't say when would bt
likely TO get place. Applicants were
so many. Salaries well, salaries jus
now we're low. / must lake the test
and then
Going out, heard two shabby, pale
faced, serious girls talking.
these agencies just force salaries
down." one said. They don't car,
about getting us work. They'd rsthei
send out two operators at sl2 a weel
apiece than one at $50. for that means
two machines instead Of one. They
sent a letter 10 Matte Carson las
week, offering her 8 place at so, anC
she never worked for less than SIS
/ You'd better take it, they said, 'anc
doubtless you'll be raised shortly.
Much raise she'll get! Yes, she took it
You see, she lives at home and doesn'
really need to work-just wants PHI
money
"Ah, that's one trouble" put in tn,
other. "Girls just wanting pin none,
taking jobs from US who are starving
and helping TO keep wages down.
walked up Broadway and | fel