The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-17
Thousands Of u. S. Fighters,
in Desperate Need, Will Not I
Capitalize Their Sacrific

New York. Aug. 1.-THE Serious
problem Of lighting men returning to
America and. after spending what
little money they have In Quitting
themselves with civilian clothes. hnd-
ing themselves penntless, with no job
ir prospect, has been made the subject
Of a very frank statement by Alfred l.
Smith executive secretary for the Re-
mployment Bureau COMMITTEE of New
York city.
When making an appeal to employ
ers, asking them to make sacrifices II
necessary to give work to returned
American fighters. he said:
These Men are Real Men.
unable to finance themselves dur
ing any lengthy period of unemploy-
ment too proud to ask assistance
fl ON welfare ORGANIZATIONS; too honor
able to resort to Illegal methods many
former soldiers, sailors and marines,
who have been unable to get jobs, to-
day are in despair.
During the past week we have had
numerous former service men applying
at the Re- employment Bureau. at No.
sos Pearl street. for positions, who ad-
mitted they were without money, with
which to buy lunch. Other applicants
claimed they did not have the neces-
sary carfare with which to go after
jobs open in various parts OF the city.
1t is almost. needless to say that the
Unemployment committee will not AL
low any boy to lose the chance of get
ting a job because OF the lack of car
fare, or to 60 lunchless. but I am men,
tioning this situation as a reason why
employers should strain point to give
former service men jobs.
Won Houors In France.
These boys are Americans; they
have won honors abroad They were
given a wonderful welcome home.
Many of them are too proud to ask re-
lief from philantrophic societies.
1T is true that these ex-fighters
were paid In full when they received
their discharge They also got a
bonus of $50 each. Out of this money
clothes. What they had left was spent
during the time they have been out OF
| the service.
We admit that some at them may
| have been too liberal with what little
money they had on hand after leaving
| the service. But that does not alter
the fact that we must provide employ
ment for each and every man who was
with the colors when this nation faced
the greatest crisio of its history.
| 1T is no reflection upon the en-
| PtaSttS Vi ANGN yin upon bHc TO
/ employment bureau to admit that
there are thousands of jobless ex-
service men in the city. The trouble is
that, while there are hundreds Of va
can't positions, most OF the jobless men
are either young end inexperienced
men who are without special training
or executives, professional or technical
| men who find 1t difficult to connec,
during what isegenerally admitted as
/, the duliest season of the year.
| '~The great demand now Is FOR
skilled mechanics and ordinary UNI.
skilled labor. and for these positions
most of the idle soldiers applying al
the unemployment bureau are en-
t.rely untitled and would not satisfy
the employer in case they were hired
for such jobs We cannot refer q
general clerk to a skilled tooimaker't
job, nor civil engineer to a heav,
porter's Job
While the unemployment Com
rnittee is confident there will be Job
for everybody within a comparativel,
short time, ii is imperative that worl
he found Immediately for hundreds o
cx-service men who cannot hnane
themselves much longer.
Married Men Desperate.
Scores. of men who got married
before they went overseas are desper.
ately seekinp work. One man whit
called at the bureau the other day
was willing to take a job at SIS q
week so as to be able to buy food for
his mother, his wife and for anothe,
that had not yet arrived. We have
scores OF men who arc PRACTICAL,
the sole support of their parents.
The various welfare organization.
that are paying the expenses OF the
| unemployment bureau would be only
too glad to help any service mar
who needs financial assistance. But