The Washington times., 1915-04-23
WHY CAN'T MIKE GET
JOB, He QUERIES
"Can Do Anything With Dirt"
But His Money Has Gone
and He Awaits Help.

One Of the little tragedies of the un-
employed is being staged at the Gospel
Mission.
The actors are Mike Colwell. young
Polish emgrant: his wife, Mary, who
sits blankly staring and afraid. drawing
back from all strangers whom she fears
will take her youngest child, John !:
three-year-old Mary, who Is too young
to realize her parents penniless plight,
and william sturdy, twelve, and be-
cause of his proficiency in speaking the
English tongue, the real man of the
family.
The story of the Colwells ISN'T so
ouch different from the ordinary run
Of hard luck" tales, except that Mike Is
a sober man and a good farmer. and Is
anxious to find work, in which effort
Superintendent Kline, of the mission,
who is giving him shelter, Is trying to
aid him. Together they went TO the
Department of Labor this morning, to
see whether in Uncle Sans employment
agency could not be found the chance
which Mike wants to establish himself
and his family on a farm.
Here Is His Story.
Aided by twelve-year-old William, the
his papers," and frequent lapses into
the tongue of his nativity, told his
story this morning.
He came to the United States from his
home in Russian Poland six years ago.
With him was his wife, and the two
older children, whom Mike wished to
grow up in the emigrants Land OF
For while the promise of the
stranger land to which the emigrant
anne, converting the name he bore into
he American generic of Mike Colweil:
sept her promise of prosperity, and
turing those years little Mary and
little John arrived. Having forsaken
the soil. Mike worked in the colleries
Of Beaver Creek, which Is near Car
works shut down: and the emigrant
was able to obtain only one of two
days work during the week.
81 git letter from feller l know at
city Point, Va" said Mike brokenly.
He say plenty jobs. L take little
money. hondred sixty dollar, and go,
My furniture I think I ship to Ports
mouth. Va. but the express he charge
me seven dollar. and send my things
to Portsmouth. Ohio.
81 go City Point. Thousand men
there waiting for few jobs. No work
l. take last money buy ticket tor here
You get me work.
"Why Can't I Get Job?"
%But even when Mike Colwell turned
us face toward the Capital City of his
Promised Land. his i'll fortune followed
him. for he made. his choice of Wash
ington from one Of the circulars which
the labor exchange Of the>Qepartmeni
" Labor has been sending out listing
opportunities for employment, anC
Mike. unlearned. and his friends un
earned like him. believed that II ne
anne here the Government would fine
mis- job and ship him to 1t.
And so he and his wife and four chill
dren arrived on Tuesday night, with
0ut so much as a penny. seeking ait
at the Gospel Mission. Mike doesni
understand why he hasn't gotten hi:
Job. His wife. knowing from bitter ex
oerience that money counts much ir
strange communities. has heard some
,vhere that II parents cannot care ioi
heir children. the authorities will steI
n and take them to an institution.
And that Is why she has hardly for
moment since she came here permitted
title John to be absent from her arms
4 moment
Il farm. I plow, do anything will
,lirt." is the way Mike expresses hi
qualifications. Thine for crops Is com
ng. Why can't l get job?''