Denver labor bulletin., 1918-10-26
GOVERNOR GUNTER EXPLAINS WHY
THE STATE AND CITY AUTHORITIES
COULD NOT CLOSE LABOR AGENCIES
Employment Agencies Suggests That Prejudca Operation
Be Federal Action; Community
Board Then Declares Thems "Nonessenta."

There has been some misunder-
standing as TO why state and munich
pal authorities have not issued orders
closing the private employment agen-
cies, as requested by the United States
Employment Service bureau, located
in this city. This is fully explained
in letter by Governor Gunter TO w.
Y. w. Blayney. state director of the
United States public reserve and chair
man Of the Denver community board.
Since the letter was written the
community board. acting under au-
thority of the national government,
has declared private employment
agencies ''nonessential TO conduct Of
the war" and they will be closed un-
der this action.
Colorado, like other states, is given
quotas of labor TO enlist for war indus
tries. Men employed thru the private
agencies are not credited TO the United
States Employment Service, and so
long as they operate n double dctri-
ment is created. First, they send men
out of the state who would otherwise
be secured by the United States EN-
ploymcnt Service, and second, IL makes
Il SO much harder for Colorado to OBJ
tain its quota for war Industries. In
addition TO this. the private agencies
procure men for certain job, then
lure them away TO another in order
to duplicate and oftimes triple their
fees from the men and employers.
Governor Gunter's Letter.
The letter explaining why the state
and city could not act in the matter
is ms follows:
Denver, Oct 15, 1918.
Nr. w. N. W. Blayney. State Director
% T,ss sd tatn Co
ice Reserve and Chairman of the
Community Board. Denver. Colo.
Ny Dear SIR have your letter of
October IL, reading as follows:
"I think il will be to the inter
est OF the United States govern
nent, ms well as to the state of
Colorado, to have the licenses of
the present employment agencies
thruout the state revoked, and
their business discontinued in the
state at least during the period of
the war.
"The United States government
does not consider these institu-
tions essential, and they are in
fact detrimental at this time, ow-
ing TO the acute labor situation.
Il am going to ask you, as well
as the mayor of our city, to take
this stand, If you can consistently
do So"
Pursuant to your request, n confer
ence was held between Mr.. Vallery of
your department, Mr.. Roady Kenehan,
federal director of employment bureau
and chairman of the advisory board,
Mr.. Marsh, attorney for the city and
county of Denver, the secretary of
state, Mr.. Morrissey, at the head of
the labor department of the state, and
h., af tho axaCnfivp nffirpg
on Saturday, the 18th. At that con-
ference it was urged that the licensing
and operation of employment agencies
in the city and county of Denver, and
elsewhere in the state, were very ma
terially obstructing the operation of
your department and the department
Of Mr.. Kcnehan. Further, that the ac-
tivities Of such agencies were operat-
ing prejudicial to the state in that all
the men taken for essential work thru
the employment agencies and not thru
the department of Mr.. Kenehan or
yourself, were not credited upon the
quota assigned to Colorado, and there
by very much larger demands were
being made by the national govern
ment upon our state for essential la
Dor than the quota assigned to this
state. II was asked of the governor
and of the municipality Of the city and
county OF Denver to take steps to an
nul the licenses granted under the
state and under the municipality to
private employment agencies.
The city, by its mayor and its legal
adviser, Mr.. Marsh, expressed the wish
in every possible way to cooperate
actively with the federal government
in their work of gathering men for
essential service, and it was the ex-
pressed desire of the secretary of
state, the deputy labor commissioner,
Mr.. Morrissey, likewise, in evary prac-
tical way to cooperate with the fed
eral government, such likewise was the
wish of the governor
After giving this matter further
consideration, 1t seems that it lies not
in the power Of the governor to issue
a proclamation to close these employ
ment agencies. They are in existence
by authority Of the state, such author