Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1915-03-13
CLEARING HOUSE NEEDED

Another evidence OF the Increased
participation OF leading Catholics in
dealing with the social problems is
furnished by the report Of the Calf
fornia state Commission on ImmE
grafton and Housing OF this. COM
mission Right Rev. Edward ].
Hanna. D. d.. OF San FraHcisco. is
Vice President. Unemployment as
far as State action is concerned pre-
sents two distinct aspects: First, the
immediate alienation OF suffering
and want, charity problemi second,
the ultimate or industrial solution,
looking toward the elimination Of
unemployment. The report of the
California Commission deals mainly
with the latter problem and among
the recommendation made 1.-THE Ia
Dor exchange" plan is OF basic inn
portance. Today the man out OF a
Job may answer an advertisement in
some newspaper. wander from place
to place seeking employment or
apply TO private employment agent
for a joo. II he reads newspaper
advertisement, how is he to know
that the demand has not been salts
fled over and over again? Indeed
how il he to know that the purpose
Of the advertisement Is not to flo"
the local market with men, 10 multi
ply the fees to the agent and keep
down wages7
If We would be OF service TO the
great number or our migratory and
casual workers we must devise some
machinery for obtaining immediate
knowledge OF opportunity for labor
and then spread that information
without charge when and where it
will reach those out of work; then
we must gather data as to those
unemployed. showing their expert
ence, ability. trnstworthiness, etc,
and put it within reach OF pros
pective employers. In this field
private enterprise has broken down
completely. The multiplicity OF
private employment agencies comph-
Gates the situation: there Is no one
place TO which man might apply
to obtain a list OF available jobs: IL
Is conceivable that a man might
Agister with one agent while his
is in the hands Of another agent
Wy or thirty feet away Private
les must charge fees, which the
peedy are hardly in a position
Oh rise and fall xSsr
a decrease 49, de-.
and job boss. result
ID - ~
.lness in many occupations. We
psIieve that private agencies should
be further regulated However.
regulation Will only curb fragrant
abuses. II viii not supply that one
absolute reQuisite--a common clear
ing house of labor intelligence
Private agencies are competitive: il
Is part OF the game for one to keep
his knowledge from the others
knowledge of demand or supply
IN it's most helpful form. can be sup
piled only by the State. This is as
legitimately piece of public work
as Is the supplying of weather re-
ports. crop statistics, soil surveys.
knowledge of foreign markets,
methods OF cultivation and the like.
The act to create free public labor
exchanges in England was passed in
1909 Al the expiration OF five
years there were 430 employment
exchanges in operation These ex-
changes with their branches are so
distributed that any man out OF
work can file his application for
work by travelling not more than
five miles. This same convenience
Is at the disposal of the employer.
Germany has between 400 and 90
municipal exchanges which find
Jobs FOR over million men and
women year.
The bureau should be under
commission. the members OF which
represent labor the employer and
the general public Only then can
Il be successful A labor trans
action involves two elements -the
applicant and fhe employer. Unless
the bureau possess the unqualified
confidence of both It is doomed TO
failure from the start one-man
bureau could not win his confidence:
supervised by representative OF
labor. 1T would be suspected by the
employer; directed by a nominee OF
the employers it would not be pat
ronized by the men. II Is consid- !
cred of prime Importance that the
labor exchange he Centralized and