New-York tribune., 1918-03-17
Fitting the Woman
to the War Job
By Mary Katherine Maule

y u
THERE is a brand-ncw efficiency
Il plant in New York.
1t is place where square pegs
and round holes are adjusted. In other
words, it is where the woman is fitted
to the Job and the job to the woman.
When the man-power Of the United
States began to be enlisted and drafted
by war, Uncle Sam suddenly came to a
realization that it was time to make
use of the woman-power. And
Woman's Department of the Bureau Of
Labor was created accordingly, with
Mrs. H. NJ. Richards at it's head.
The special function of this depart
ment is the protection and placing of
women in industry.
A little over three weeks ago head
quarters of this bureau was opened in
New York, at the United States En-
ployment Service, 22 East Twenty-sec-
ond Street, and the work of sorting
and sitting and fitting the woman to
the job and the job to the woman was
begun.
AS the woman who wished to be fit
ted with. job enters the room she is
met by smiling gray haired lady, who
greets her cordially and conducts her
to desk in quiet corner. Here the
applicant tells her story.
Shadow Of War
Over Many Lives
They are great stories that go over
that desk. Some of them funny, and
many very tragic. The grim cloud of
war that always throws such dark
shadows into the lives Of women has
cast many of these lives into black
ness in which it is hard to see any
foreshadowing of day.
sat at that desk half day last
week and helped register the appli-
cants.
There were women who ali their lives
! lad lived in sheltered seclusion, but
: whose husbands or sons have gone
forth to battle for the worlds freedom,
and must now earn their daily bread.
Here were young women, newly
widowed by the war. Girl-wives who
have bravely sent their beloved off to
battle and are undertaking to earn their
own living perhaps care for a child
! or two-while he is away Here were
musicians, painters, sculptors, writer's,
! private secretaries, actresses, who had
earned comfortable competency in
the past, but who are reduced to pen
ury on account Of the market for their
work being cut off by war.
Women who have earned $50 to s75
a week; women who have MANAGED
their own business, who have been re-
sponsible heads of big business con-
Germs; dressmakers, milliners, sales
women, all kinds of women, here to be
fitted to the job.
A young girl came to the desk, pretty,
refined, who had been a music teacher.
but since the war began" she told
ne, my pupils have dropped off one
by one until | have only two left. In
war time, you know" she said with a
wan smile, ''the first thing to be cut
Off is the arts, and we who live by the
( arts must find something else to sup
/ port us until war is over" This girl
( is college graduate. quick at fig
uFes, neat and accurate, and employ
ment was found for her in bank.
She Laughed, But
Had to Eat
The next who came to be fitted for
JOB was an actress. Young, bright,
vlvacious, with quick bright eyes and
a resolute mouth, she said with jocose-
ness that was quite obviously an CT
fort, that she had been out of work
for four months. "Thcrc is not enough
demand Tor stock companies to keep
us all going this year" she said with
a brave, though shaky laugh, "and |
was onc of those so unfortunate as not
to be placed. OF course I've got to
cat, so I've come to see if you can get
me a job
When asked what kind Of work she
would like, she replied: 81 don't care
If ! was a man | would have enlisted
long ago. But, as I am only woman
I'd like to do my bit wherever can. ]
am strong and we'll; I'l do anything
A JOB was found for her the next day
in munitions factory.
Another actress, also left stranded
by the bad theatrical. season, was given
employment packing cut-loaf sugar at
$40 a week.
A Nassar graduate was the next
caller. She spoke three languages. ard
the desire of her heart was TO write
Efforts will be made to place her with
a newspaper or magazine, but, in the
meantime, the difficult and trying ne
riod of waiting is to be brideod by
work III gas mask factory.
She Wanted To Be
A Housekeeper
woman past her first youth came to
the desk. Her face was beaminr. She
had been a worker in a munitions fac.
/ tnru rl,