Denver labor bulletin., 1918-10-12
PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES TO
BE PLACED UNDER BAN IN COLORADO
All Employing Labor Must Be Done Thru Federal
Bureaus Meeting Public Service Organizations
Held Thursday Night in Governors Ofhe Make
Survey of Conditions in This State

War was declared Thursday night
on private employment agencies in the
state of Colorado by most formida-
bic array of public service organiza-
tions, including the state and county
councils of defense, the district exemp-
tion boards, local draft boards and the
community labor boards of the United
States employment service.
Opposition to the methods and re
suits of the employment agencies
arises from the fact that the nation
al government is making drafts on
this state for labor, skilled and un-
skilled, for essential industries in the
East, and assesses a quota against
the state computed by government
statisticians. Credit is given the
state on it's quota only for men duly
recorded as sent thru the government
employment agencies.
Many Thousands Needed
Altho labor is scarce now in the
state 1890 men are yet to be deliv-
cred on the requisition of the federal
labor board.
Only / 700 have been sent out thru
the regular channels credited by the
government, and according to careful
estimates 2,300 have been recruited
by privately conducted agencies which
cannot be credited on the $1,000 called
for as Colorado's share of laborers to
be supplied in response to calls from
Washington.
How to meet this demand for labor
was the subject of meeting in the
governors Office Thursday night.
Among those present were: Jesse II.
Evans, national field organizer for the
department of labor; NJ. o. Evans of
the department of agriculture; ID. W.
Thomas. general secretary of the
council of defense: c. L. Hover, in
No. ?; W. J. Galligan. federal fuel
administrator; Miles Saunders. pro-
vost marshal: W W. Terrence, gen
eral manager Of the Denver Engineer
ing works; Horton Pope. United
States public service reserve; !. r.
StimSon Of the council Of defense;
Otto Thum, George A. Levy, J. II.
Mitchell and +. l. Carruthers OF the
labor committee. Denver county coun-
Gil of defense: Fred Harrington. in
dustrinl adviser Of district board No.
?; Clint C. Houston of The Denver
Labor Bulletin; George Nallery OF the
United States employment service;
]. a. Donovan, Bruce G.. Eaton. ". +.
Evans, p. j. Devault. J. X. Mullen. T.
b. Skinner: W. n. W. Blayney. di-
rector Of the United States public
service reserve. Roady Kenehap. di-
rector of the United States employ
ment service; DELPHI +. Carpenter of
Greeley; Cass E. Harrington. presi-
dent OF the Colorado Development
Federation; w. r. Evans, travelling
labor examiner; II. X. Wheeler. exec
utive secretary of the state council of
defense. and Governor Gunter, who
presided.
Evans Explains Plan
Jesse II. Evans of Washington out
lined the governments plan to keep
all parts of the country supplied with
labor with minimum of transporta-
tion from one part of the country to
another. By requiring all employers
needing help to file their demands with
the government labor agencies, and by
requiring all men in search Of cm-
ployment TO make application thru
the same agencies, the head of n de-
partment like Colorado could tell
whether there was "A scarcity or sur
plus IL there were scarcity the
labor department in Washington, with
its information of the conditions in
all the states. could tell where best TO
secure the shortage.
This public service, without charge
to laborcrs or employers. acts in the
interest of the country and its war
needs, whereas many private employ
ment agencies have been charged
with shifting labor from one place to
another solely for the fees. 1t was
alleged that under the department
rulings giving no credit to n state for
labor supplied thru irresponsible, un-
regulated employment agencies now
work dctriment to the state in caus-
ing it to ship out far greater num-
bcr of laborers than it should be
called on to lose.
Adopts Resolution.
After discussion lasting from 7:30
until 10 p. M, the following resolu-
tion was unanimously passed:
Resolved. That this council indorsc
the action of the community labor
board in the movement to close all