South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-07-25
FREE BUREAU IS
LABORER'S FRIEND
Unions Are Urged to Look on
Office With Less
Suspicion.
News-Times Special Service /:


INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July 25.-
In discussing the federal employ
ment agencies and the growth of
this work throughout the country.
the indianapolis News makes this
reference to the bureau which is
located in the federal building at
Indianapolis.
I'VE have now, az an adjunct 10
the local agencies the federal free
employment bureau. conducted by
the bureau OF immigration. The
unity which the local offices aspired
to is thus provided by the national
government. The managers indi-
Gated a desire TO break away from
the word free" as It seems TO have
conveyed the impression of charity
They urge organized labor to look
on the offices, federal state or city.
with less suspicion, as rightly
conducted labor agency should be
the laboring mans best friend. Re
ports have come to the association
showing a sustained interest in the
application Of scientific principles
TO unemployment, by means Of
which vocation, distribution and
availability may be jointly taken
into account"
In another editorial on the same
subject the News says:
Unusual Demand.
j. S. Sherman, director in charge
Of the federal labor bureau, reports
an unusual demand for labor. Re
quests come from large employers.
and from farmers. The supply
seems to be so scarce that, in or
der TO attract more workmen, high
er wages have been offered. Thus
railroad labor, that ordinarily
brought II 1-2 and is cents an
hour. now brings 20 cents. other
classes of employment, which a
short time ago promised 20 cents
an hour, now assures % cents. Con-
tractors who are in immediate need
of help are offering from 20 to 22
IL cents. Information received at
the federal bureau indicates that
Indiana farmers are having some
difficulty in harvesting their crops.
The increased demand for labor
IS a welcome assurance that business
prosperity is general IL was ex-
pected, early this year, that there
would be a labor shortage in the
harvest fields. Later, when high
water washed out much of the
wheat. it was predicted that the
crop would be comparatively light
and that consequently there would
be no, trouble in harvest. This does
not now seem to be wholly the case.
The shortage, however, as far as
farm labor is concerned. depends
largely on local conditions. The de-
mand is heavier. of course, in re-
gions that were not affected by
spring floods. According TO Mr..
Sherman some farmers have been
compelled to work late into the
night on account of the lack of
help.
The demand for labor in the
construction and public improve
ment lines is a further indication
that business is active. The unDar-
alleled industry of the iron and
steel plants has gradually absorbed
much of the floating labor supply.
The railroads also employ a consid-
cradle percentage of occasional
labor. For possibly two or three
years, up to about a year ago. the
railroads generally felt the need of
retrenchment, and so contracted
their pay rolls. Steady expansion
OF transportation has caused these
lines To recall their man, and in
many cases to endeavor to obtain
additional numbers. The n lew en-
ployes are needed in the road and
bridge improvement work. a fea-
ture of railro1 i'd upkeep which was
sorely neglected during the period
Of retrenchment"