New-York tribune., 1918-12-25
Bruere Says Jobs
Are Being Provided
For All Service Men
Denies Charge That U. S.
Bureau Cannot Cope With
Situation; Quotes Figures
Showing Work Plentiful

Assertions by members of the Metro
politan Employment Association that
idleness among service men and war
an alarming degree, and that the gov
crnment agencies wereu nable to cope
with the situation, were replied to yes
terday by Henry Bruere, Federal di-
ment Service for the State of New
York.
1t was stated by Anthony Pinzarro,
vice president of the metropolitan or
ganization, comprising 700 private en-
ployment agencies in the greater city,
that the government bureaus had lam
entably failed to provide jobs for a
great portion of the released soldiers
f1ocking in increasing numbers to the
private exchanges. To assist in re-
lieving this condition, he said, and out
of sense of patriotism, members of
the association had agreed to place all
discharged sailors and soldiers with
cut the usual fees.
"They are doing their best, Of
course" he said, but their efforts are
proving inadequate. The men doing it
haven't the practical knowledge You
can't expect them to know because it
is for them new condition. They
have too many cards and they haven't
cot the proper tabulation system.
Want Jobs for Handicaps
"We have 700 agents in our body,
and since we have offered our services
we have placed on an average of
fifteen men each. or $500 day We
are making special efforts to get Jobs
for the armless or legless men, and we
asks osur clients to use such men in
some capacity. When they begin to
come in large patches. however, we
shall have problem that will not be
easily solved. The government bureaus
have SO far proved a failure and the
number of unemployed, as I seem them,
is increasing daily.
Mr.. Bruere. however, sees the stu
alton in different light and with diff
ferent figures.
81 don't believe" said he. chat 5 per
cent of the workers so far released
from war industries are without Jobs.
! doubt if this percentage will increase.
Here are some statistics showing that
for the week ending last Saturday
15,251 men registered for jobs while
during the same week there were 19 600
Jobs waiting for them.
81 can say with almost certainty that
about IS per cent of the men returning
from the camps and from overseas are
taken care Of within two weeks after
tleir discharge. Many of the men, too
n. 20 -
preferrinG to hang around a while
| These will gradually be absorbed. OF
course this class will accumulate as the
number of those returning increases
! and there will be a certain amount of
! idleness for a time. There are very
/ few cases, however, where large num-
bers have been permanently thrown
out of work because of the cancellation
! of contracts.
Sees No Need of Alarm
"The cancellations are now piling ur
and though we have made provision tc
absorb and renstate, it is expected
that the number of unemployed will
also accumulate.
Gust how effective our work is car
be seen from report that I have
here that out Of forty-fve industries
in the state that have had their con
tracts cancelled, only 1862 men were
dismissed without jobs and only Sc
women. There have been considerable
lafoffs since, bu tive hope to take care
of these in satisfactory fashion,
"Our system is comprehensive. in.
cluding every agency that it is posi-
BILE to enlist il the work We have al
our service the state oranges, loca
labor bodies, chambers of commerce
Red Cross, Salvation Army, Knights OF
Columbus, the War Camp Community
Service stations, all the patriotic socie.
ties and welfare boards. both for mer
and women, and government agents ir
every town with population of owe,
10000. We have representatives at the
camps to place the men even before
they are discharged. AS a matter ot
fact, it's a big job, but the situation is
not serious and there's no need foi
alarm"