Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-04-29

Washington, d. c., April Is. 1T
there Is a woman anywhere In the
United States, Alaska or even the Phil
ippines who needs a cook or maid for
general Homework and other work the
federal government Is now ready to
help her get one. As necessary COM
plement, it is also ready to help the
woman who is looking for the job.
This is the latest development in the
great employment bureau which the
department OF labor Is now operating.
This bureau faces a great national
problem. The number of unemployed
persons in the United States during
recent years has averaged more than
two million at all seasons. Fully one
fourth Of these are women. The men,
however, came in for cons Iteration on
the part of the government because
more often families are dependent up
on them. A service was organized to
bring the man and the job together. It's
success was beyond all expectations.
The thousands Of men that had gather
Ell in the great cities were distributed
westward where there were farms
with waiting harvests and mines and
lumber camps.
This government employment bu-
reau began simply as an agency for
farm hands and has gradually broad
ened the scope of its work to INCLUDE
every industry. Within the last SIX
months. it's service has been extended
to the women of the country as Wen
as the men, by the organization OF
woman and girls division women
sections have been opened in New
York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Fran
cisco and Washington. Similar ar
rapgements are soon to be made IN
Boston. Brooklyn, Cleveland, Kansas
City, st. Louis and Los Angeles. A
woman officer is in charge of each OF
these offices. In localities wnere
branches for women have not been or
ganized, women's applications Will De
received by the existing federal en-
plovment bureau. 1t is planned soon TO
have a woman agent in each OF the
principal cities of the country.
The government work in obtaining
employment for men and women Is I'M
der the direct management OF the
bureau of immigration, which is a
branch of the department OF labor. Sec
cretary OF Labor Wilson and Commits
sioner of immigration Caminetti,' are
its chief proponents. The department
of agriculture and the interior help by
listing the needs of persons within
their jurisdiction. The post Office de-
partment is the depository for blanks
for use of employers and wage earners
respectively, upon which to initiate the
services offered by the system; also to
furnish information to the federal Off.
GERS regarding applicants. Every one
OF the $4,000 post offices in the United
States is a contributing factor In the
work and every mail carrier distrib.
utes application blanks on request.
Suppose that woman in North Oak.
ota wants a maid of all work. She asks
the mail carrier for an application
blank. which she fills out under direc.
ton. She is required to give two refer.
ences as to her own reliability. for
Uncle Sam believes that the cml loyer
should be we'll recommended as well
as the employe. A detailed description
of the work to be done, the wages to
be paid, whether transportation will be
advanced, the probable permanence OF
the employment, are some of the de-
tails noted upon the application blank
Application by the woman who seeks
a position is made in exactly the same
way. The great majority Of these ap-
plications are for places in domestic
service. There seem to be great num-
her of women who are tired of the in.
dustrial struggle of the cities and
would like to find less trying and pre-,