Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-05
coNNELLEy is COMPETENT
But Labor and Industry Commissioner
May Strike snag In Female serv.
ant Employment Proposition
BY GEORGE NOx MCCAIN
DR. CLIFFORD b. CoNNELLEY, a

pointed commissioner of the Department
OF Labor and Industry by Governor Sproul
vice John T. jackson resigned, has made IN
excellent Impression upon those who have
come in contact with him in the discharge of
his official duties.
When Commissioncr.Jackso was granted
indefinite leave of absence at the outbreak
OF the war to enter government service.
Doctor Conncllcy, who had been connected
with the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh
was appointed acting commissioner. 1t
afforded him an admirable opportunity to
famiiarizc himself with the work of the
Office so that he practically takes charge as
ono trained for tho place
One phase of the commissioners work.
which no doubt will he developeJ to its
highest possibilities and TO the welfare Of
the working classes of the state. is the state
system of free employment. 1t contenplatcs
the continued maintenance Of clearing
houses Tor quickly placing employees in such
way that the man suitable for a given job
will be placed in that employment.
1t is n mistaken idea that this work is an
outcome Of the world war. The system was
established under laws passed by the Legis-
Iature of 1919. and was well under way
before our entrance in the conflict. The
system will reach perfection of operation if
it succeeds in eliminating a certain class of
employment agencies whose principal func-
tion is to separate the workingman from a
portion of his money under promise of socur-
ing him permanent employment
When Doctor Conuclley tackles the female
servant employment proposition, however. he
will find his hands full.
PROFESSOR HENRY o. GIBBONS, for
years connected with the University of
Pennsylvania, is greatly interested in Greek
archeoogy Since 1S90' he has been a
member of the managing committee of the
American School of Classic Studies at
Athens.
The war as every one knows, played sad
havoc with the American and foreign arche
oogiSts in Greece and the near East.
Work was abandoned in all directions while
the nations devoted themselves TO the
attempted subsection of each other. Now
that peace has come Professor Gibbons tells
me that high hopes are entertained of
renewal of the work.
Professor Gibbons's daughter, Miss Mary
Fulton Gibbons, n talented violinist who
spent a number of years abroad and who
recently has been on concert tour through
New England. has returned to Philadelphia
to reside permanently as a member of the
A LBA 3. JOHNSON has entered the ranks
\ of publishers. 1t is in connection with
\. b. Kelly, George f. Foss, Howard Il.
French and others in their work as officials
of the Pennsylvania State Chamber of Com
mercc, Of which Mr.. johnson is president.
The publication takes the form of hand
some four page journal on tinted caendercd
paper, called Pennsylvania Progress
1t is needless to say that it is devoted
solely to the interest of the state Chamber
of Commerce. 1t is unique in having not
line of advertising on any of its pages. The
editorial page carries Il signed editorial by
Mr. Johnson which deals exclusively with
the proposed new constitution for Penn
svlvauia The catholic aims of the organ
zation are set forth by Mr.. johnson in
declaration concerning the farmers interests,
in which he says:
aside from the many problems to be
considered in the new constitution
no subject can be of greater Importance TO
the state of Pennsylvania than the improve
mcnt of the condition of its farmers with
respect to improved methods of agriculture
improved transportation, improved method
of marketing and general Improvement in
the comfors of living. To a realization of
these purposes the Pennsylvania State
Chamber of Commerce is devoting itself. g."
The management of PENNSYLVANIA Prog
ress is in the hands Of Robert Haight as
editor.
STATE SENATOR WILLIAM r. GROW.
~ chairman of the Republican state COM
mittte, whose forced retirement from that
position will be a feverish feature of state
politics, is a former newspapermap who is
now serving his fourth term as chairman
Of the state committee.
Senator Grow belongs to the soft spoken.
light treading, easy going school of politics;
the fix rather than fight brand. He is
political paciist, That's what has started
the present shindy. As state chairman, this
wear and last too, he thought it his duty to
act as peacemaker between the warning Re-
publican factions and has met the customary
fate of the peacemaker.
He was a pronounced anti suffragist too
and had the women of the state the right
to WELD the ballot the gentleman from
Fayette, I fancy, would find other lions
or lionesses, in his path beside the astute
Joseph II, Grundy.
Although Senator Crow voted for the
suffrage amendment at the last session, he
was only persuaded to that action after re
peated conferences with high state leaders.
Since then, however, / understand he has
modified his views of previous years and is
reconciled to the fact that suffrage has come
to stay
Meantime the sound of meat axes being
ground in the Bucks county woodshed con-
tinues unabated.
WILLIAM A. PATTON, assistant to the
w president of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
is an official whose loss has been keenly
felt by that corporation. Mr.. Patton retired
some months ago to enjoy the pleasures and
comforts of private life after half century
spent in the Pennsylvania service
For generation and more he had kept
his fingers upon the pulse of Harrisburg.
Every piece of legislation directly or indi
rectIy affecting railroad interests for forty
wears had been scrutinized by him. He
became a perfect encyclopedia of political
and legislative knowledge.
lie knew every public man of Importance